


Shadows of the past

by navvy



Series: LOTR and PotC Crossover [1]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Barbossa is a real pirate, F/M, M/M, Melee Island, Rape/Non-con Elements, References to Monkey Island, Sexual Coercion, dark side of piracy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:40:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 39,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navvy/pseuds/navvy
Summary: Will priorities get completely changed when he figures two things: his soon-to-be former fiancee is in love with another man, who seems not to be the friend he had thought of and his own origins are more complicated than he had thought.With that in mind, Will plans a voyage to investigate his roots and discover the fate of his people from the mist of the past. The past he still feels as his present with magic, dragons, dark lords and magical rings. But also with loyal friends, talking trees, noble kings and lords, beautiful forests and majestic cities.But Jack is not someone you easily leave behind. Will and he are bonded closely by something beyond friendship.
Relationships: Jack Sparrow/Will Turner, Legolas Greenleaf/Jack Sparrow, Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann (past)
Series: LOTR and PotC Crossover [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023271
Comments: 23
Kudos: 37





	1. Past lives

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is an AU from PotC, starting at the start of "At Worlds End". Will recovers the memories of his previous incarnation as Middle Earth's favourite woodland prince so that changes the movie quite a bit. He doesn't reconcile with Elizabeth, and they don't get married at the final battle. Calypso is the one who stabs the heart, so neither he nor Jack become the Dutchman's immortal captain. This story starts after the end of that battle, while they all are trying to go back home. Or well, go back to Tortuga anyway :)
> 
> Note: for the moment, despite Will remembering his past, he still thinks of himself as Will, not Legolas. That will probably change in the future once his memories become more integrated. Presently, he feels Legolas's life is something he knows but not really feels like his. He wants answers yes, but mostly because his current life is such a disaster than he would grab for any direction concerning his future.
> 
> I am not expecting a wild response to this, not only for the strange crossover but because both LOTR and PotC are a bit old already and this is a strange pairing. I will appreciate any show of this being something someone likes, besides me. The first arch for this is half-way written and I am planning at least for two stories.
> 
> This is unbetaed, but as usual anyone who wants to help me out and point any mistakes will be my new best friend 🤗

Will looked back to the Pearl from the cover of the trees next to the coast. The light of the moon was more than enough to let him see the silhouette of two men, Jack and Barbossa, on the helm of the ship. He figured the two of them were still concentrated in that peculiar battle they had been fighting since they got the ship back in the Locker.

Will didn't want any share in that conflict, or any other involving any of those men anymore. He felt sore and used, and tired of feeling so. He understood Jack's reaction in the Locker when he didn't believe Will was real because he wasn't there looking for his help. But even if he could understand where the pirate was coming from, it still was painful for Will to accept the fairness of it. Hadn't all their interactions been a back and forth between them? With both of them having fun tricking the other but never leaving the other to die or come to harm in the end? He had tried his best to be a good man and a good friend. Even to the pirate whose lifestyle and ideals were so different from his own. But he had fallen short in his attempts, clearly. To both Jack and Elizabeth because they had both betrayed him in the more cruel way possible.

He didn't care that Elizabeth insisted she had done what she did to trick the trickster into staying with the ship and gave them time to escape. Under different circumstances, he could have admired the way she had turned the tables on Jack. But he couldn't feel admiration for her betrayal of the other man, who Will would have never left behind to die alone. Neither he believed for a moment that tricking him had been her only motivation to kiss him or the only way she could trick him. Will wasn't blind and he had seen the way she looked at the pirate, with the fascination she had always held for the tales of piracy and Jack's own brand of attraction. Will had a hard time accepting that Jack had returned that kiss knowing what she had meant to Will. He had believed the two of them had enough respect for each other's by then that he wouldn't participate in something which would hurt him like that. Although it was explained somehow if he didn't think them as friends in the first place. Or maybe that was just Will's elven sensibilities. Estel used to tell him mortals saw relationships different than his kind, from friendship to marriage. Not that he thought Jack would want Elizabeth as a permanent fixture in his life. The memory of his former friend brought fresh pain to his heart as he hadn't felt since he had left the White City for the last time, after the funeral.

Oh, Will didn't believe, no matter how accomplished Elizabeth was, that she would last a month in the sea in a real pirate ship and life. No matter that she had been named King by the Brethren - how crazy was that people anyway? To name a rank amateur as their King? Clearly, Jack had been desperate - She was clever, strong and brave, but she wasn't used to the real day-to-day work and manual labour that went in a ship, pirate or not. She wasn't used to the rough manners of the sailors when they weren't treating her as a special lady. Will doubted she would survive in a pirate ship, alone, outside an emergency. Not even in Jack's ship or that strange Sao Feng's who had - apparently - lost his mind before dying. Pirates like Anamaria were treated with respect, but she had to fight her own battles. And she had, no one dared to cross her. Elizabeth wasn't Anamaria, and Will suspected she would soon discover that truth.

Her plan of fighting would have fallen apart without Calypso's intervention and Jack's machinations. In the middle of the fight, which Will wouldn't have survived without his newly re-found agility, Calypso had appeared at the deck of the Dutchman and taken Jones and Jones' heart with her. That had left the ship without a captain and the crew freed from their curse. Will had then taken over the ship while Jack returned to the Pearl. Beckett, unaware of Jones' fate, had rushed to meet them thinking the Dutchman was still in his side. At the last moment, the two of them had turned to corral the Endeavour between the two ships to end the fight. That had ended the fight and the Dutchman's duty.

But Elizabeth Swann wasn't Will's problem anymore, or ever again. He had done his best for her, offered his heart and his trust, and a life together and she had chosen to go after her childhood dream and live the pirate dream. Very well, he had gone to save Jack, despite what he feared it would mean for him and Elizabeth's relationship. Notwithstanding the pirate's opinion of him as a friend, he couldn't regret it. He couldn't leave him there once he knew there was a way to save him. And now, it was out of his hands what happened between the two of them, Will was out of their life and he wasn't responsible for their choices. Not that he thought any of them would lose much sleep about his disappearance once they noticed it.

Will had taken advantage of the stop they needed to do to resupply, offering to be the one to lead the party to get water and food in the island when both Jack and Barbossa rejected to leave the Pearl. He stopped the fight offering to be the one to go so the both of them could stay in the ship. It had suited Will well enough although he had seen Elizabeth looking at him in question. He ignored her. This island was well supplied and was a common stop for ships. He would get back to the Dutchman, now the supplies for both ships were almost ready and just needed to start to load them in the ships - he left Wyvern and his father in charge of getting the supplies back to the ship - and talk to his crew. He had a proposition for them.

His time in the Locker had returned his past to him, and his race's features - he felt the shape of his ears he had recovered while they were in the Locker and that he had hidden carefully from the sight of others with a bandana. That was the more visible aspect of his changes, although there was more. He was more agile, faster, with better reflexes. His sight was keener and his hearing unmatched by any mortal. His body was lighter and he had lost some of the visible bulk of his life as smith had gained him, although he was as strong or even stronger than before. Even his skin had smoothed and he felt he had lost all of the signs of age. He again looked like the twenty-something whelp Jack had liked to call him. With all the mayhem they had been going through he believed no one had noticed the changes except for Calypso, and she had her own agenda, and he had taken to dress a bit looser to keep the differences hidden. That had earned him again more strange looks - from Elizabeth in particular - but he had ignored them as he had ignored her.

Elizabeth's flighty affections, Jack's attitude about him, Davy Jones's unworthiness as the Dutchman's captain, even Bill Turner's fate were no longer a pressing concern to him now he had fulfilled his promise and freed him and the rest from Jones' curse.

Now he remembered his past as an elf, his life, his family and his friends. He had been reborn here, to this world and this life. The reason why, or the way how, was still a mystery for him. So he knew he needed to find some answers and he couldn't find them in this place. His last memory, before being reborn as Will Turner, was of trying to sail to Valinor with Gimli and the storm which had raged and closed the path into the Blessed Lands. Gimli had been convinced in those last moments before their ship sank under the waves, that the Valar had finally decided to bar the pass of a dwarf in the immortal's dwelling. But Legolas, who had been promised by the White Lady herself a safe passage for his friend, feared it had been something else. He wanted to know what had prevented him from fulfilling his promise to his dear friend and reunited him with the White Lady he had been so enchanted.

That was among the things he planned to figure out if he could after so long. First, he needed to know if there was anyone of his people left in those lands, or anything of their culture was left behind. He suspected there were some of them remaining, because he had heard tales of the green people and, although they were thought to be a children's tale, the stories persisted and the descriptions brought Legolas's people to mind.

He had hopes of finding them, but for that to happen, he needed to return to civilization maybe even the Old Continent where the tales were older and well-rooted. For that, he needed safe passage from the Caribbean to the Old World, and lo and behold! he had a ready-made ship, his for the taking. He only needed to talk to the crew and see how they felt about their returned freedom. He didn't expect most of them would want to stay at the place of their captivity, neither would he trust many of them, but he hoped they would be willing to follow him to a safe port so they could return to normal life and he could recruit new sailors for his adventure. He suspected a working-passage to the old World would give him enough people to crew the ship.

With that in mind, he turned his focus to the present, got into one of the boats and rowed back to the Dutchman, his mind buzzy already with all the plans he had. He didn't spare more than a fleeting thought to his former friend and fiance and what they would think when the Dutchman took his own route once they left the island. Jack and Barbossa had been talking about going to Tortuga to celebrate - and Will suspected to fight off who was the true captain of the Pearl - but Will had no interest in following the Pearl or her crew any longer than necessary. And he hoped to go to a more reputable port to get some reliable people for his voyage. He had learnt there was some honour to be found among pirates, but he prefered to avoid the risk of a rotten apple altogether. He didn't want to emulate Jack and have his crew backstabbing him mid-way through before he reached the Old Continent.

With that in mind, he started to plan how to keep his current shipmates in line until they reached their destination. And how to sell them they weren't going to Tortuga. He had a few incentives in mind to keep them satisfied for a while longer. He hadn't been his father's troops commander over the darkest of Mirkwood's history for nothing.

* * *

Jack looked back to the island impatiently with his spyglass. Now he had escaped the Locker and gotten rid of the debt to Davy Jones, he didn't want to wait around a lost piece of land. He had felt Death real close this time and now he wanted to take charge of his life again, and enjoy the pleasures in it.

Also, he had an itchy feeling and it had nothing to do with the fact he hadn't bathed since before he had gone into the Locker. He didn't think so anyway. He had a healthy respect for his instincts. More than half of his decisions were taken following them, and they were screaming at him there was something amiss, something he should be paying attention to. It was driving him crazy, or crazier some would argue.

One of those who would support that claim was walking towards him at that very moment. Jack tried to ignore her, keeping his attention focused on his spyglass. Elizabeth stopped behind him and realizing he wouldn't give any visible acknowledgement, started to talk.

"Are we ready to depart? Have all the supply parties returned yet?" - she asked.

Jack didn't take his eye off from the spyglass, focusing on the Dutchman. He could see Will standing on the deck with the crew surrounding him. He was talking to them calmly, and they were listening to his words attentively. He almost envied the lad, the attention he was commanding, the Dutchman's sailors were a bunch of scallywags but they were clearly focused on the man. He wondered how Will had managed that, when and how he had learnt to master a crew. He wondered what the smith was telling to that motley company of almost-damned men and what was different with the whelp. He had felt the younger man had changed in some fundamental way from the moment he had seen him again in the Locker. It was driving Jack crazy and he wondered if it had something to do with the itch he had been feeling.

He had noticed Will's reaction at the Locker when he had dismissed him, saying he couldn't be there if he wasn't looking for his help. Will hadn't said anything in his defence but some light had faded from his eyes and he had barely talked directly again to him from that moment if it hadn't something to do with their fight against Jones. The lad's actions from the moment Jack had rejected the notion of any friendship between them had driven home to the pirate captain how much Will had been trying to work for a middle ground between them. He had, in the past, tried to reach Jack talking about his past, learning from him, engaging him in many ways. That approach had all but stopped after that voyage outside of the Locker. He was fully focused on Jones's end and freeing his father. It was only when they had been arguing about Jones' fate, just before Jack pushed him into the water, that Jack had seen something of the boy he knew back. When he argued with him about Jack being the one to stab the heart Jack had noticed his arguments weren't about Jack's trustworthiness as the Dutchman's captain but about his loss of freedom and what that would mean to him. Will could have accepted Jack's solution without care but he had been worried about what would do to Jack to be tied to Jones' duty.

Elizabeth's exasperated exhale behind him brought him back to the present. He noticed, before he lowered the spyglass, that the last land party from the Dutchman - with Bill Turner leading it - was arriving at the ship, with the crew helping to haul them up. He turned back to Elizabeth in question.

"Are ye still here?" - Jack asked the murderess. Elizabeth raised her eyebrow unimpressed.

"I am, and I am asking you if we are ready to depart" - she said shortly. Jack turned back to her and asked again.

"I wasn't askin' if you were still here, but why aren't you there?" - he asked pointing with his finger to the other ship. Elizabeth's expression turned sour and she raised her chin in challenge.

"It is complicated. Will is trying to keep Jones's former crew together until we reach Tortuga. He can't be distracted now with our relationship. Once we are back there we will be able to talk and resolve our differences" - she said trying to sound convincing. Jack looked at her unimpressed.

"And why 'tis that you are in needs of 'resolvin''?" - Jack asked, expansively marking the word with his hands. Elizabeth tried to intimidate him with her look, but Jack wouldn't be Captain Jack Sparrow if he couldn't stand a lass' dark looks. They would have looked at each other forever - or until dinner's hour - if a different voice hadn't interjected their opinion.

"The lad is cross 'cause she betrayed him, or 'cause she tried to scuttle you. Or both I was never clear on that?" - Barbossa said while he came to the two of them. Elizabeth turned back to the older pirate in rage.

"I didn't betray him! And Will would understand that if only he would allow me to explain it to him!" - she said angrily. Jack raised both eyebrows in surprise.

"Betray 'im? Oh, aren't you an accomplished wee murderess? When did you betray the whelp?" - he asked in curiosity. He had noticed the boy's reaction when he had accused Elizabeth of killing him, but he hadn't thought it was nothing but a small secret she had kept. When he had noticed the two of them drifting apart he had wondered the reason.

"I didn't betray him!" - Elizabeth exclaimed again even angrier, while Gibbs, who had joined them at the helm, talked above her.

"He saw ye kissin' at th' Pearl jus' afore we leave it fer th' kraken. I would say th' lad wasn't feelin' too warm about that, much less when he figured out th' reason ye did 'twas t' trick th' Captain into stayin'. We had t' restrain th' lad when he realized ye 'ave stayed at th' ship, he would 'ave gone back otherwise" - Gibbs explained, looking ashamed of his own lack of action. Jack approved that feeling, he had been his First Mate, and he should have realized something was wrong when the lass had come back without him. He didn't know what to think about Will trying to get back for him.

Elizabeth turned with a huff to go back inside the ship, probably going to drink up her anger, Jack figured. He turned back to the other pirates in curiosity. He felt he had misjudged the situation a bit if what he was hearing was true. He was even feeling - _a little bit, very slightly_ \- guilty of the cold shoulder he had given him when they had arrived at the Locker. He was now remembering Will's actions when he had been sentenced to death at Port Royal. He had risked all for him, he couldn't have expected to be forgiven for his actions. If everything would have gone as expected, he would have forsaken his life for Jack.

"I hope you can make peace with the lad Jack. He has been a good 'n brave friend to you and that is not a commodity for people like us" - Barbossa said in that condescending way of his. Jack wanted to ignore him just in principle but he had to admit, to himself, he was in the right this time. Not that he would admit it out loud to the older pirate.

"Certainly loyalty 'n trustworthiness be somehow lackin' among some. I would know better than most" - he said, not holding back any punches with his traitorous former First Mate. Barbossa made a face when the barb hit him, but walked off without a further word.

Jack turned back to the Dutchman with his spyglass, he saw the crew moving along the deck, clearly getting the ship ready for departure. Jack felt a small frown forming in his face, they had no reason to wait for the Pearl to get ready but he had believed for some reason they would depart together to Tortuga, although it was true that the Pearl was a faster ship so it was probably for the better if the Dutchman left first. Still, it didn't sit well with Jack, and he felt again he was missing something here. Now he was convinced what he was missing had something to do with Will. He would need to corral the boy once they were all in Tortuga celebrating and square off all their misunderstandings together. Maybe then he could focus on his next adventure: to find the Fountain of Youth.


	2. Melee Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will gets to his first stop while the others reach Tortuga and realise he has disappeared. The reactions wildly varied although Will is too far away to enjoy them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Melee Island. Alright, for those who didn't have a childhood like mine, where I grew up with these games as one of my favourite adventure games, this is a complete nod to the wonderful Saga Monkey Island. Any coincidence in names and plot are completely on purpose, as my mind remembers it. Mostly I wanted an island to send Will to, and I have no imagination for names, so this came to mind and the idea was too irresistible to...well...resist :D
> 
> Thank you for those who made the effort to comment and leave kudos, as I said in the first chapter I am expecting this to have a very small audience and I understand but it makes me very happy to know that some people besides me likes it. So thank you!

Jack looked at the irate female. For once, he was almost, generally, nearly positive, he wasn't at fault, this time, for her tirade. Elizabeth was showing at everyone within earshot the worst of the spoiled, daughter-of-the-governor side of her character.

"Where is he? Why hasn't he shown yet?" - she asked again. Jack had been listening to the same song for the last few days with a few variations on it, sometimes she was worried, sometimes angry, sometimes teary.  
Barbossa, after a silent back-and-forth with Jack and Gibbs was the one to answer this time.

"Maybe he misunderstood where we were going'? Maybe he went to Port Royal" - he offered carefully. Depending on the day, Elizabeth would react to their suggestions in a more or less accepting way. Gibbs decided to bite the bullet next.

"Maybe ye should go thar 'n wait for 'im. He surely will be expectin' fer ye t' arrive thar" - he said. He was, like the rest of them, clearly wishing to be somewhere else, anywhere else. Or for Elizabeth to be anywhere but here. Elizabeth didn't take the suggestion well and walked off in a huff, while the three men saw her leave and breathed in relief.

Jack didn't blame the lad for skipping their rendezvous and avoiding the woman. Except he did. He had to admit, deep down, he was as surprised as the lass for the younger men act of leaving without even an explanation. He hadn't expected the honourable man to take off with the Dutchman and leave the things - _and Jack_ \- as he had. After what he had learnt about Will's actions and reactions, Jack had revised his opinion of the smith and he would have liked to have the chance to depart in better terms than they had, at the very least. But obviously, Will hadn't thought there was anything else to add to their rocky friendship. Or probably, with Jack previous comments, he hadn't thought there was any friendship at all. Jack felt a strange constriction on his chest at the thought. It was probably the lack of rum. Now Elizabeth had left them alone he could visit the town and reacquainted himself with the best taverns in town and their occupants.

He looked to Barbossa and Gibbs and announced his intention to drink up for his returned fortunes.

"You do that Jack, Ye 'ave earned a good bottle of rum 'n some friendly company. I meself will be reacquaintin' myself wit' some beauties, once I've left Jack back t' the ship" - Barbossa said with a leer, signalling monkey-Jack to his shoulder.

Jack shuddered at the thought of it, not wanting for his mind to go where it was trying to go. He quickly backed off from the older pirates while saying over his shoulder to Gibbs.

"Gibbs! Set a watch at the Pearl and send the scallywags to enjoy a well-deserved rest t' the taverns. I won't be sober for the next few hours or days, dependin' on the mood!" - he said while he started for the town. He didn't see Barbossa's contemplative look. Neither did Gibbs.

* * *

While Gibbs' voice faded behind him, talking to the two prostitutes Jack had been escorting to his ship, Jack looked to the Pearl disappearing in the horizon with a familiar feeling of hopelessness. It didn't last long, he wasn't Captain Jack Sparrow for nothing, although he was once again a captain without a ship. He should have known Barbossa was planning to swindle him from his ship once again, and he should have suspected the crew would join again to the older pirate when he offered them... whatever he had offered. He would have liked to see Barbossa's face when he found the hole in the navigation's plans. Jack patted his own jacket where the true map resided and went to the dinghy to set sail. He preferred not to be at Tortuga when Barbossa found the plans missing. He didn't have any wish of losing them the same way he had lost his ship.

That treasonous pirate, Jack should have realized he was planning something. Gibbs was a good man, besides being a decent pirate, but he didn't make a good First Mate. He lacked the spirit and intelligence needed to spot and counter the whispers of dissent and distrust that led to a mutiny. Instead, he had allowed himself to become inebriated and let Barbossa steal the Pearl, again, from under their noses.

Jack didn't allow himself the fantasy of the thought of another man he knew, who had shown himself clever enough to counter betrayal and work his own plots around it. Even Jack's own plots. That brought another problem to mind, and a happy idea, the only positive part of this whole mess was he no longer needed to worry about the murderess strumpet. 

While he manoeuvred the dinghy around the port to open sea, after having checked the supplies box was filled - _a final courtesy of Barbossa, presumably his way to apologise to Jack for letting him stranded again. It probably made sense in his dement mind. He even had left a few bottles of rum_ \- he wondered what would be Miss Swann's reaction to their disappearance. He felt a bit guilty of the tongue-lashing Gibbs would receive when she caught with the only remaining crew of the Pearl in Tortuga.

Still, he had lost him the Pearl again. The least he deserved was to have to deal with the King-of-pirates. A King without a crew or a ship, or any means to get them any longer. Tai Huang, the new captain of the Empress had turned around after the battle showing a small token of interest about Elizabeth's plans. When she had decided to stay at the Pearl, they had happily went back to their business. Elizabeth was now a complete figurehead as the King of the Brethren, not that she had been anything but another tool to Jack's plans.

With Tortuga fading in the background, Jack took out his compass and checked the direction in it. After a small false-step with the rum, the compass pointed a south direction. Jack wasn't actually sure where it was leading him. He suspected it wasn't a good idea to go straight after the Fountain, without ship or crew. But he decided to trust the device to lead him wherever he needed to go.

* * *

Will looked around the pirate port thoughtfully. He hadn't wanted to go to Tortuga, a disreputable port full of drunks and scoundrels. Besides, he wanted a clean break with the Pearl and her crew and that meant to keep his distance from Jack's favourite port. After speaking with his current crew they had tried to find a compromise between Will's plans and the departing crew's needs. A few of them wanted to stay with Will when he explained to them his wish to go to the Continent. Jones had captured many men from different origins, some from the Old World, and some desired to return home and see what was left of it. But as he had suspected, many wished to retire from the sea or at the very least, put some distance with the Dutchman.

Will couldn't blame them, and he sincerely wished to keep the peace at the ship and took only willing, able-bodied men. He felt they had reached a fair compromise, they would help him to reach a safe port and help him with some of the ship's repairs there. In return, he would share some of the valuables Jones had acquired in his travels. He had some strange and expensive things that they could trade for a new start in life or another passage to some new destination.

As for their chosen destination, that had taken a long time to decide. Will, as the captain, had the final word but he wanted to have the easiest way before they parted ways, so he looked for a safe port for all of them.

While he would have liked to find a reputable port to exchange his crew for some regular sailors who wouldn't be expecting him to plunder and kill, he was aware some of his current crew wouldn't find an easy fate in a normal port. So after studying the charts and talking to his father, he decided to sail for Mêlée Island, a pirate port yes, but also a place who tried to follow some rules of engagement. It even had a governor, a woman called Elaine Marley. Will was a bit wary of crossing paths with another female associated with pirates, but this one seemed to have a lot of more experience than Elizabeth so he hoped he wouldn't have problems with her. Furthermore, with some luck, they wouldn't even need to meet.

Jumping down to the dock in the shipyard he looked around for the man in charge, a nervous guy who looked even crazier than Jack and was called Stan. He didn't foster a lot of trust into Will and he had decided to keep an eye on him. Or several. He had already warned Bill Turner to stay with the Dutchman and be wary. The older Turner had expressed his wish to remain with Will despite his regained freedom. Will had tried to convince him he didn't owe him anything and whatever repayment his actions deserved surely had been paid tenfold serving under Jones's doubtful captaincy. Stubborn seemed to run in the family. For now, he didn't seem to want to leave Will away from his sight and Will decided it wasn't worth the fight at this moment. Maybe once they returned to London he would find some family he could return to, and Will could go into his way in peace.

While Will had tried to secure Bill's release from Jones's curse, it had more to do with duty and it being the right thing to do than any filial feeling. Bill Turner had been an absent father at best and Will had no memory whatsoever of the man.

Before, that may have been enough for him to create an attachment as lacking he was of any connection. Now, he was recovering the memories of his previous life, and while they still were hazy and initially felt a bit like a tale happening to someone else, he was progressively feeling more like Legolas. And Legolas had a family who hadn't been perfect no, but they had loved him, taught him and more importantly made their best to be there for him even with all the duties involved being part of the royal family. He had never doubted Thranduil loved him with all his heart and his father had always made time for him from his infancy to the time he had left for Ithilien. The contrast with Turner was staggering. Will didn't doubt he was a good man as Jack had claimed when they met, but he hadn't been cut to be a father and hadn't tried to balance his love for the sea with the child he had chosen to have.

At the very least and for the moment, his guilty conscience gave Will a trusted man to leave in charge. He would take advantage of it while it lasted. After crossing a few words with Stan and securing the supplies they needed to repair the ship, Will turned towards the village west of the island. He wanted a few supplies he hoped to be able to get in town.

* * *


	3. The Dutchman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack arrives at Mêlée Island and gets a few surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been using a 'pirate talk' translator for the pirates. I use it more or less depending on the character and some of them like Jack, depending on their interlocutor and his intentions with them, or how drunk they are :). I think people like Jack can talk 'better' or 'worse' depending on how dumb or rough they want to sound to the others.
> 
> Some pirates like Barbossa I got the feeling that they like to sound more educated. More sophisticated. Some like Jack, do just the opposite. While he is probably not formally educated he can talk better than he does, and he does this on occasion. I have tried to be consistent in this, as much as I can. Hopefully, it works to give a bit of accuracy to the characters.
> 
> About Will's appearance. With his memories returning he has changed his way of dressing a bit. He is not going to dress as Legolas, he doesn't have those clothes, but he is going to get the closest he can to it. I think he would be more comfortable with the style of dressing he has always worn. More importantly he needs to hide his body so it's not so noticeable that he is no longer human.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and attention 🥰🥰 there are not a lot of people who likes that so I appreciate even more the few of you out there.
> 
> No beta, so feel free to point any mistakes.

Jack looked to the hulk of the Dutchman feeling like he should be surprised, but he wasn't. This was clearly just another proof of Jack Sparrow's remarkable fortune.

Tying down the dinghy to the deck, he jumped out of the boat and looked at the big ship being repaired. There was some crew taking down the sails to repair them or change them. A few others were working on the deck and he saw Bill Turner checking the hull from the outside. A nervous man was wildly waving his hands next to the old sailor, but Bootstrap was keeping his focus on the ship. Jack got closer to them.

"I can get you some new equipment easily, the best ones in the business. You won't be able to find any better. A deal of a lifetime!" - he was saying, talking non-stop. As a boaster of first-class, Jack could spot a fellow loudmouth easily, he could see old Turner wasn't too impressed by the man.

"We will be asking for supplies as we need them, we first need t' check th' hole ship to see what is holdin' up and where we need t' do repairs" - Bill said calmly. Jack had gotten close enough to the two of them for them to have him in their line of sight. Bill turned from the other man and his eyes widened when he saw Jack. The other man lightened when he saw a new potential victim.

"My good man! Oh, a good fellow businessman I can spot them from islands away! I am sure you will be happy to do business with me, how could you not?" - he started to babble right away. Jack flashed his golden teeth to the man charmingly.

"Oh, I be sure our business together will be profitable. Let me say, good fellow, ye seem a reasonable businessman. But this business seems t' 'ave so few boats! We can nah 'ave a shipyard like this one without a ship fer every pirate necessity..." - Jack started to draw the salesman away and drew him into his orbit with a combination of half-truths, dazing smiles, distraction and plain cheating. By the end of their little chat, Stan was looking dazed like he had been hit by a pole-axe. Jack, on the other hand, had gotten rid of his dinghy and was now in possession of a fair amount of coins, far more than the half-sunken thing worthed now or had even worthed.

Bill, who had been keeping an eye on both of them while he finished his inspection of this side of the hull, kept his mouth shut and stayed well away from both. Jack left Stan in his small booth while he returned to the Dutchman with a cheerful smile. He was feeling his fortunes improving just by being this close to Will. He decided he should find the whelp now and hear his explanation for his disappearing act. Old Turner turned a wary look to his former captain when he approached.

"Bootstrap Bill! I don't reckon I had the chance t' congratulate you for your freedom! How's the world treatin' you of late?" - Jack said, getting closer to the man, with a swage. Bill kept looking wary but answered friendly enough.

"Life has been an improvement of late Jack. I am keepin' busy tryin' to go back on track" - Bill said sincerely enough. Jack nodded amiably.

"I can see, I suppose that sprog of yours has shown handly helpin' his ole man to return to life. He seems to 'ave spared no effort to get ye rid of Jones 'n his course" - Jack observed. Bill nodded in agreement.

"Will has been very brave 'n very noble. I am surprised th' two of you crossed paths wit' each other. He doesn't seem interested in gettin' to be a pirate" - Bill said. Jack nodded noncommittally. He didn't want to get into Will and his relationship with his former crewmate. Not when he wasn't clear on where the two of them stood with each other.

"Aye, you noticed that, didn' you? Well nobody's perfect, he had shown a fair amount o' skill in plottin' and lyin' his way out of situations but far less so in mindless scuttlin' and pillagin'" - Jack admitted with a certain amount of admiration. He wasn't one for mindless killing either and he preferred to talk his way out of situations. He felt proud of the lad actually, his last play had been masterful. Freeing his father and worming his way out of Miss Swann's clutches. - "Talking' of Willie, does he happen to be around, I 'ave a few pendin' businesses o' talk with 'im" - he asked. He was a bit taken aback by the suspicious look that returned to Bill's face. The other pirate had been relaxing his stance while the two of them had been talking, but now the suspicious attitude returned to fore.

"Pendin' business? Yer debt t' Jones was paid 'n you are free again t' roam th' seas t' your heart content. I hope you are not harbourin' any resentiment fer Will's actions. He never meant for you t' be hurt 'n he tried always t' keep you all safe while he was attemptin' t' break th' curse. If anythin', I reckon th' whippin' he got under Jones's orders when you sent 'im t' the Dutchman without warnin' should even any score ye reckon you need t' square wit' 'im" - Bill said firmly.

Jack was quite surprised. First by the affluence of words from the older man, where he had always been sparse sharing his thoughts. And then about the news of the whipping he hadn't been aware of. Will hadn't made mention of it at any moment, never indicating any blame on Jack for it. Again he felt the constriction indicating guilt, or lack of rum, in his chest. He had never meant for Will to suffer that particular experience of sailing. He raised his hands in defence to the parent in front of him.

"There is no debt to be settled between us. That Jones's business are settled as far as I am concerned. Willie and I understand each other perfectly. He did as I was expectin' 'im to do. Thar were no actions for me to feel resentful on the contrary Boostrap, he has been a loyal friend" - Jack said as sincerely as he had been in a long time. Bill looked surprised.

"I didn' get th' impression the two o' you were friends" - he admitted - "Ye sold 'im out to Jones and he sold you back to Beckett" - he observed - "While I am sure he didn' intend for you to be hurt as he was already plannin' to break the curse, it doesn't feel too friendly to me" - Bill concluded. Jack smiled in response.

"The whelp and I knew what we were doin', trust me. Except for that first thin' wit' Sao Feng. But once I realized wha' he was plannin', I plotted around his plots. and he plotted around mines. We were both plottin' around, savvy?" - he said. Bill nodded unconvinced. Jack pressed ahead before the older man asked more questions - "Where is he then?" - he asked again.

"He went t' town for some supplies ann t' crimp new hands for th' Dutchman" - Bill said slowly. Jack looked back to the ship surprised.

"Ye be sailin' it, then? and why does he need a new crew? I didn' realize the ship lost anyone but Jones at the battle" - he looked at the Dutchman again with renewed curiosity. Despite having the sails half-dismounted and the deck being refurbished, it already looked much better than the last time he had seen it, just before it sailed from the small island they had used for resupply. Jack realized Will must have been planning his escape when he offered to be the one to go for food and water. He probably had been readying the ship for the longer journey, that was the reason he had wanted to be in charge of the parties.

"Not everyone wishes t' stay at th' Dutchman Jack. Some will be stayin' at Mêlée, retirin' or joinin' another crew. Will only wishes willin' sailors to depart wit' us" - Bill admitted. Jack looked back to his old friend in curiosity.

"Depart where?" - he asked. Bill looked uncomfortable now again.

"You should talk to Will, Jack. You will find 'im at th' town" - he said, turning back towards the ship to continue his work. Jack nodded thoughtfully and turned back to the path which led to the town.

* * *

Jack looked around Mêlée main town with curiosity. He had been in many places in his time, and pirate towns were pretty similar to each other. A few or more than a few taverns, some shops which sell all kinds of strange artefacts and some weapons. Depending on the islands, some places had a few legitime businesses going, smithies, food stores, even sometimes a local doctor more used to doctor stab wounds and shots than colds.

Mêlée's town was more or less what Jack had been expecting, a bit cleaner than average with some interesting shops which indicated some kind of law-abiding and law enforcement. He saw a sign about the current governor of the island, some Miss Marley. There was some familiarity in the colouring and looks of the subject of the picture which brought shivers to Jack's guts. He averted his eyes from the posters like she could jump out of it. He had more than enough of heart-strong over-educated lassies.

Scumm Bar was a charmingly awful place, just the kind of den Jack was fond of. Full of pirates fighting, drinking, betting and even one of them was hanging from the cell's candelabra. A smile escaped Jack's lips while he looked around trying to get the feeling of the place without drawing attention to himself. Which was quite difficult in a community as small as this one. He could already see some looks going his way, measuring. 

Some curious, some belligerent. Jack ignored them, letting them come to him if they wished, while he nursed his mug of grog, which seemed some kind of watered rum. _Who would want to water rum?_ Still, it had plenty of kick, and Jack was feeling agreeably buzzed by now.

A change in the noise close to the door drew his gaze towards it, and he saw what must be the most pleasant sight of all the island. Dressed in a combination of greens and browns, with his longer hair down semi-loose over his shoulders, drawn back in some curious braids and with a green bandana. With a confident and smooth walk: Willian Turner. Jack couldn't take his eyes from him while he walked inside the bar and towards the back of it, smoothly slipping between the inebriated pirates and over-friendly wenches who would have never seen a more beautiful sight in their lives. Jack observed with some envy some of them offering what it seemed like free services to the lad, while he rejected them so gentlemanly that they seemed to want him even more. Jack wasn't a slouch at attracting the attention he wanted but he never had been offered free services like that in his life. Not even when he could claim to be younger and fresher on the face.

Reaching one of the tables, he slid down next to a group of pirates. They looked, to Jack's experienced eye, the less disagreeable of the bunch and they started to talk at the lad from the moment he seated with them. Will seemed to be listening intently, while he absently accepted a mug from a helpful waiter who was however disappointed by only draw a kind thanks from the beautiful young captain.

Jack slipped from his own table, getting closer to Will while trying to be inconspicuous. In the chaos of the bar, he was able to move closer to the younger man's table without being spotted and listened to the conversation.

"The ship's hull is intact, except for some superficial damage and some cosmetic one on the top. We will be able to avoid careening it. Fortunately, we can make all the reparations in the water" - Will was saying. The other pirates nodded knowingly at this. A youngster, who looked excited to be able to participate in the discussion, demanded.

"Wha' about th' mast 'n th' sails?" - he asked and Will smiled in response, letting the boy almost open-mouthed at the sight.

"The masts are fine, except for the one we lost at the fight. We have changed that one, and we are changing most of the sails. Luckily, the Dutchman's former captain liked to collect strange and valuable trinkets from his victims. They are being very useful to refurbish the ship, the state of it was pretty lacking" - Will admitted, giving the mug on his hand a doubtful look. He brought it to his lips but lowered again without giving a sip when another wench came to the table.

"How's goin' lads? Do ye want more grog? Or would ye like some company?" - the pretty red-head asked, looking straight to Will. The boy didn't have time to answer when the older pirates rushed to beckon the girl's attention to them. Will took advantage of the distraction, nodded in farewell and left the table before the girl could get rid of her admirers. Jack followed him discreetly outside.

Once in the street, the lad went towards the centre of the town while Jack followed him from a distance. He wasn't sure why he hadn't greeted the youth yet, but he was trying to pinpoint what was so different about him before he decided how to approach him.

The first obvious tell of something having changed was the boy's appearance. He had lost some of the open-necked leaders and buckles from last weeks and was wearing a closed fitted tunic with a belt, blue-grey breeches and tall brown boots, up to his knees. Also, some strange wrist guards whose function Jack wasn't sure. The only thing didn't seem to fit with his new look was the green bandana, Jack eyed it intrigued. 

The braids weren't like Jack's dreadlocks but finely braided ropes starting each side of his face and tied at the back, forming there another braid. It all looked very deliberate, but Jack didn't know the meaning of the look. Was he trying to hide from those who had known him by changing his appearance? If so, he still had some way to go.

Besides the clothes, something else had changed, and that was the real reason Jack hadn't approached yet. He walked differently, not only from his former style but someway eerie... and that came from a man whose way of walking varied between swaging and fluttering about. Will walked... light, flighty... like he wasn't fully touching the floor. As a master swordsman, he had always more grace than average, but now he didn't seem to have to put any effort into it.

At that moment, Jack saw him duck into a shop. The pirate still wasn't feeling too sure about what to say to the younger man, so he walked past the shop and hid in a nearby alley for the boy to come out. He didn't know how to confront Will, but he wouldn't let him slip from his grasp while he decided it.

* * *


	4. Scumm bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confrontation was coming and it has finally arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, again thank you for those of you who are keeping an eye on this. I am glad that someone finds any joy in this kind of weird thing of mine. 
> 
> Again, I am borrowing Scumm bar from Monkey Island. In my opinion, the whole PotC movies are based on these games, so I think it’s practically the same universe, except for the names. Barbossa’s appearance is incredibly similar to LeChuck, and Elaine and Elizabeth could be sisters. 
> 
> This is unbetaed, so feel free to drop me a message with any mistakes you see.

Will had felt an itch in the back of his neck from the moment he entered 'Scumm bar'. It hadn't gone away when he left the place and he was certain by now than he was being followed. In a place like Mêlée, it was probably not a good idea to leave the town with some unknown person following along. Especially a bad one in his case, when he had shown he had some amount of money and this was a pirate town.

Will ducked into one of the small shops of the town, where the older pirate manning the counter looked at him indifferently while he went through the back, clearly used to many strange happenings around him. One he was in the back alley, Will walked back towards the main street staying close to the building's shadows and trying to locale his pursuer. A stroke of luck made him walk into the alley where his stalker had stopped to wait for him to leave the shop.

Even from the back, blending in the shadows of the alley, those dark dreadlocks - barely held back by a red bandana - were unmistakable.

Will was going to call out when a shot of mischief went through him. The memory of a thoughtfully exasperated Dúnedain and laughing grey eyes and elven laughter came to mind. If a certain dwarf would have been near, he would be by now taking pains to put some distance between him and the elf. And maybe, if he was feeling generous, he would have warned the man about the danger he was into. As it was, no one who had known Legolas Greenleaf was near. The former elven prince used every skill he had learnt hunting spiders in his homeland to get to Jack's side unnoticed while he silently drew his sword. Once he was within reach of the pirate captain, he set the blade just against Jack's neck from the back and said in an even voice.

"A pirate caught off his guard?" - Jack had frozen completely when he felt the cold metal against his neck but he lost some of the tension when he recognized Will's voice and looked back, _carefully_ , exasperated when he processed the words.  
"I am ne'er caught off guard, I am always as much in guard as I must be" - he exclaimed with dignity, carefully raising his hand and moving the edge of the sword away from his neck while he turned towards the younger man. Will moved the blade away letting it rest parallel against the back of his arm. He raised an eyebrow amused.

"And I suppose you always arrive when you mean to" - he commented with nostalgia. Although Jack looked and behaved nothing at all like any of his former friends, Will had felt about him similar to what he had felt for Estel and Gimli. With a certain dose of something else he wasn't ready to confront at the moment, or ever. And because he knew Jack didn't feel the same about Will that made the homesickness even worst. He missed his friends, his family and his home more fiercely when he realized how alone he was at the moment.

"You are makin' no sense at all" - Jack complained. That was also a familiar accusation to Will's ears and he smiled sadly.

"Sense is something relative to each one of us. I am making the same sense to me that I always make. But I suppose I wouldn't make sense to you now I no longer make sense to you" - Will said thoughtfully. Jack blinked in response looking wary.

"Are ye drunk? Whatever ye be taking ye needs t' share" - Jack said having gotten closer and looking closely into his eyes, like trying to discover what had gotten into him.

"What are you doing here Jack?" - Will changed the subject before the pirate tried to pat him down in his search for the non-existing alcohol.

"Ah! Well, now that be an entertainin' tale, nigh-on as interestin' as to why did ye ne'er go to Tortuga? A certain murderess strumpet was mighty angry o' havin' missed you there" - Jack said, avoiding for the moment the issue of him having lost the Pearl _again_.

"Was she now?" - Will asked absently. He exited the alley with Jack following close. Once they were at the main street Will took the path towards the bar again. He didn't look back at Jack while he spoke - "I am surprised she noticed my absence, and find it difficult to believe it, Jack. It was very clear to anyone where her feelings lay when we went to rescue you at the Locker, and I see no reason why that should have changed" - Will observed - "Neither you make yours any less clear. You have made it clear that we are no friends and barely allies. I am glad we were able to work together long enough to free both you and my father from Jones's slavery but I don't understand why you would follow me like this" - Will concluded.

Jack faltered a bit at the straight forward words. He wasn't the kind of man who found easy to apologize. The past for him was usually over and done, and there was no use worrying about what was done. But now, before one of the few - if not the only - people he had met who was genuinely good and noble he felt the impulse to explain himself.

"I didn' mean to tell wha' I said at the Locker. I wasn't actually sure that any of ye were real" - he admitted. Will looked doubtful at him.

"You think I couldn't be real because I wasn't there looking for your help. Like all we had gone through together worth nothing, and I had only helped you when it gained me something" - Will stated - "You would have left us there if Barbossa hadn't the maps to lead us out. I think that says exactly what you felt at that moment. I was at the same level as the man who betrayed you and stole your ship and the woman who used your feelings for each other to send you to your death" - Jack felt surprised.

"Feelin's for each other? You reckon I felt anythin' towards that lass?" - he asked. They had reached Scumm bar again and Will went past it towards the path, leading back to the shipyard. Jack followed him, annoyed. - "I don't feel anythin' about that girl, except for th' barest respect for her ruthless approach to wha' she wants. 'n she most definitely feels naught towards me"

"I saw you kiss Jack'' - Will said firmly. Jack looked back to him open-mouthed - "Just before she must have chained you, I saw you kiss. And you weren't pushing her away. It is not important" - he followed through before Jack could think of an answer - "We weren't meant to be, and I am not unhappy that we ended the engagement. It would have been much worse if we had continued down that path" - Will said evenly - "But you didn't know that, I suppose I thought at the time we were..." - Will trailed off here, and shook his head - "No matter, I was wrong and you owed me nothing" - he concluded sadly. Jack was even more startled for the impulse to explain himself.

"She took me by surprise! I would 'ave pushed her away, but I wasn't expectin' it 'n by the time I would 'ave, she had chained me to the mast! I do nah, 'n I 'ave ne'er wanted that bony lass" - Jack said exasperated. As much as he was a pirate and a scoundrel, he drew a line at certain things. And one line he hadn't crossed was to steal a girl from a mate, there were plenty fishes in the sea and he had never wanted anyone that badly anyway.

Will denied with his head, Jack interrupted him before he could say anything else.

"Come on mate! If I would 'ave chosen to kiss an engaged mate 'twould 'ave been you not her!" - he exclaimed and before Will could say anything else, he went and kissed him as proof.

Will was too surprised to react at first. Despite what he had started to feel about the pirate, he had never expected for Jack to feel something in return. He had always seemed too much a free spirit, and Will would be far too boring in Jack's eyes as far as Will could tell. He hadn't felt surprised that Elizabeth and Jack had orbited towards each other given the circumstances. Will, in every life, had been too tied to duty to take romance too seriously. Duty to his people and the freedom of Middle Earth, and duty to become something worthy of Elizabeth, and to save them all from Beckett. No, he hadn't been surprised to see them kissing, he had only been hurt for both of them to betray him as they had. If only Elizabeth would have talked to him first, he would have accepted their breakup and sent her to Jack with his blessings. Even before he recovered his memories he would have wanted her happy. Both of them actually.

But now Jack's mouth was on his, and he was kissing him. Will couldn't do anything but helplessly return the kiss, although he didn't have a lot of experience kissing men. While at his previous life he had experiences with male elves, he was quickly realizing that men were something altogether different. Jack was coarse, tasted like rum and metal, and was quickly pushing into Will's mouth, biting softly his lips and chasing after with his tongue. His hands likewise seemed to be as restless when kissing as they were at every other occasion. And Will was starting to wonder how many of those Jack had, clearly the common set of two was not what he was feeling.

They had ended into another alley and Jack had pushed Will against one of the surrounding building's walls. Jack's mouth was everywhere and Will surrendered to his relentless caresses. He wasn't sure how long they would have kept kissing and caressing each other but a burst of sound from a shop's back door brought them back to reality. Jack pushed his forehead against Will's and they looked into each other's eyes while breathing the same air. Will finally broke the silence.

"So, you would have rather kissed me, wouldn't you?" - he asked softly, still trying to understand what had happened. Jack smiled, flashing his golden teeth to the light of the alley.

"Do I need to demonstrate it to you again? it would be me pleasure, mate" - he said cheerfully, giving him another quick kiss. Will smiled in the kiss but denied with a shake of his head.

"No Jack, although I am not sure if this is really proof at all, you are a pirate and pirates are known to be opportunistic" - Will smiled to take the sting off the comment. Jack couldn't deny the observation. Will shook his head again and grabbed Jack's arm to lead him away from the alley and back to the path, he wanted to be back at the Dutchman before nightfall. - "I am returning to the Dutchman, where are you planning to go, back to the Pearl?" - he asked starting for the path to the shipyard. Jack's silence was a surprise and Will turned back again towards the pirate to see him averting his gaze from him - "Jack?" - he asked worried and stopped again putting his hands in Jack's arms to turn him towards him -"What are you doing in Mêlée Island? Where is the Pearl?" - he asked.

Jack's gaze was shuttered now, the joy of kissing Will as he had wanted for longer than he had realized and having him return that kiss as he had, faded now he had to confront his crew's betrayal again.

"The Pearl be gone again, mate. Barbossa looted her again when we docked at Tortuga, the rat" - he said almost without any feeling. He looked old and used, and tired of the betrayals. He was so distracted by his own thoughts that he was startled when Will's hand raised to his face and touched his cheek. He raised his eyes to the kind brown eyes.

"Barbossa is consistent in his loyalty only to himself, that is certain" - Will said in a dark voice - "I am sorry Jack that you lost her again, but you are her true captain, I have no doubt you will regain her again" - Will said convinced, touching his forehead to the slightly shorter man. He didn't have the gift of foresight as Elrond had, but Will had come to know Jack very well and he knew he wouldn't be down for long. Barbossa would regret having taken the Pearl again from her true captain.

* * *

Jack looked around the captain's cabin with some surprise. While he wasn't expecting for Will to retain Jones' things he was still surprised at how different the whole ship felt. Will had refurbished Jones' cabin into a warm open space, with a big desk and floor to ceiling bookshelves. Although those weren't too full of books yet, Will had taken to fill the space with different nicknacks, even plants, to make the place feel more homely. And just to the side, there was a comfortable looking bed which Jack eyed with interest wondering if he would be allowed to try it.

Surprisingly, he had also retained Jones' organ although without the ship curse was just a normal organ, smaller and set next to the left wall instead of taking all the cabin's space. Jack wandered around the cabin touching here and there, while Will talked to his father in the hallway. Jack still felt raw after having admitted to Will the loss of his beloved ship and hadn't wanted to linger to talk with Bill Turner or any of the other pirates in the Dutchman. Will had seen something in his demeanour, or maybe he knew him well enough, so he sent him ahead to the cabin while he checked with his crew about the state of the reparations.

Jack felt a great part of the tension he hadn't realized he had, released at the sight of Will's space and Will's things around him. He felt free of the burden of having to put a brave face at his situation. Free of having to stay alert so no one tried to steal him, or fight him, or harm him in some way while he was vulnerable without a ship or a crew. Jack felt perfectly safe at the Dutchman, at Will's cabin and with Will at his back, knowing that the younger man was a good man and wouldn't harm him or let him be harmed if he could protect him.

Jack sat down at the bed and kicked off his boots before lying down on the comfortable mattress. After weeks of sailing alone and a day wandering around Mêlée looking for signs of Will, Jack was barely able to hold his eyes open once he was lying down on the bed. His last thought before he fell asleep was that he hoped Will wouldn't get angry at him for stealing his bed.

* * *


	5. Back to the ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Will finally talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is fun. I am a bit worried about Jack being in character. Both he and Will, but Will being also Legolas I think I got a pass, but Jack is such a difficult character to write! I think he can take a lot of weird things without much fuss, as we saw at the first movie and I've tried to emulate that laid back attitude here. 
> 
> Let me know what you all think! Thanks for the comments and the kudos.
> 
> Also, as usual, this is not betaed. Sorry for the mistakes and feel free to point them out to me so I can correct them.

Jack noticed the chest rising and falling below his head from the moment he started to awake. He didn't have any wish to open his eyes or start a new day, more comfortable than he had felt in a long time if ever. While he took stock on his surroundings and his situation he realized he had been undressed at some point and changed into some soft sleeping clothes. The body below him, as far as he could feel with his cheek and the hand he had on it, was similarly dressed. They smelt good, like sea and grass, and Jack wondered how they could smell this good at this hour of the morning after having spent the day before wandering a pirate town and its taverns. Because, no matter how obtuse Jack was trying to be, he knew exactly which body he was lying next to.

He heard a small sight from the other man, and Will stirred slightly from his sleep. He turned his face to Jack, and the pirate felt him bury his face in Jack's dreadlocks, dropping a kiss in them while he caressed his back with the arm he had around the older man.

Jack couldn't remember any other time he had ended in someone's bed without having sex with them, and barely he could think of any time he would have awaked to someone else in the bed with him. He decided he liked the experience although he wouldn't admit it out loud under the pain of death. He still had his reputation to think of.

Will had stopped moving his hand in his back, probably thinking he was still sleeping and not wanting to wake him. He felt him starting to look around and Jack figured he was about to move from the bed to start the day. He decided he didn't want to lose the feel of the younger man under him, and he most definitely didn't want to start the day just yet. So he rolled over the other, pinning him down to the bed with his weight and burying his face in Will's neck.

Will emitted a soft 'huff' when Jack pinned him to the mattress. Both of his arms went around the older man, but he didn't complain about the treatment. Now he had it within range, Jack started to brush Will's tempting neck with his lips, kissing and licking it down to his clavicle. Will let out a soft sight, clearly not wanting to break the silence of the morning or Jack's actions with any questions. He brought one of his hands to Jack's hair and started to caress it while his other arm went to Jack's waist to press him further against his body. Jack let out a groan when he felt the strength and the effect it was having in him and the man below him. He went on kissing Will from his neck to his lips, with his hands wandering around everything he could touch.

He halted when his lips touched a delicate _pointy_ tip on Will's ear and felt Will when he also froze below him. Jack separated a bit from Will and brought his hands to his companion's face, drawing the hair back and watching from one matching _pointy_ ear to the other, while the younger man looked back to him with his features frozen in an eerie calm face. He figured his startled face looked comic.

"This is interesting" - he commented. Will raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"That is all you have to say about it?" - he asked warily. The two of them were still closely flushed against each other, with Jack on top of Will looking down to him from one ear to the other.

"I am not sure where t' start. Except for askin' how come ye 'ave pointy ears, I suppose? You didn' afore, I would 'ave noticed" - Jack said. And he would have, he had expended a lot of time cataloguing every of the younger man's features. He never wanted to admit his attraction to the smith knowing the two of them would part ways at the end, but he couldn't help himself when he had him near. He noticed now the conflict crossing the fair - _did he look younger he wondered?_ \- features, he waited for the younger man concluding his internal debate. Will finally sighed and looked away.

"I don't want to lie to you Jack, but can I trust you?" - he asked helplessly.

Jack wondered if he should feel offended. In all the time the two of them had known each other they had been locked in a battle of wits and double-crossing. Regardless of that, there was a deep respect and liking between the two of them. But they hadn't always chosen with the other wellbeing in mind. Well, he thought they both had tried not to make any choice which would get the other killed, but they hadn't been all too careful about others getting damaged.

Right now, there was some knowledge about Will which he believed it would be risky to spread around. He had been careful of keeping his ears hidden under his hair and the bandana - and that explained why he had taken to wearing it when it was so out of place with the rest of his clothing. Now Jack was aware of something being amiss, he was noticing more things about Will's appearance. Things which explained the strange feeling he had gotten when he had first seen him. His face, now he had it so close, looked younger, unlined. His body, he felt under him, was strong and lithe, but not at all bulky. Not even the arms as you would expect of a smith, as they were the first time he met him.

He raised his eyes again to Will's. He had been patiently waiting for Jack to reach his own conclusions. And that was another change. Will had been noble, and brave and kind. But he hadn't been patient. He was young and brash, and he had the potential of growing to be a wise man, but he hadn't been there yet... or he hadn't before, something had clearly changed. He remembered he hadn't answered the question.

"I wouldn't betray yer confidences Will'' - he started carefully, wondering how he would convince the other to trust him with all the history between the two of them - "I know we haven't always been straight wit' each other" - Will let out a brief laugh at that, Jack smiled back in answer - "And we may 'ave... temporarily gave up the other t' the enemy. Only for a short while. 'n always wit' a plan in mind to avoid certain death" - he smiled wickedly. Will laughed again in response.

"I admit I am as guilty of that as you Jack. I don't blame you or hold you responsible for all the instances we have played fast and loose with each other's safety. We have done as best as we could with the situation we have been dealt with, every time" - Will admitted freely - "But this is... different. You don't have any reason to guard my secrets, you have said before you don't think of us as friends. I don't see any reason to compromise my safety for a bit of fun together" - he signalled the two of them and the bed to make clearer what he meant with that. Jack, who had made a face at the 'friends' part, denied with a shake of his head.

"I be a pirate lad, I 'ave never hidden that. We 'ave a difficult time findin' a loyal crew 'n even th' worst of it t' find loyal mates" - Will lowered his eyes at that, but Jack put his hand on Will's cheek and raised his gaze to his again - "I was disoriented in th' Locker, I wasn't sure what was real and wha' wasn't" - he continued, Will listened closely - "I made some accusations, some o' those true and some which weren't. I shouldn't 'ave placed ye at the same level as those who had betrayed me 'n tried or scuttled me. That wasn't right" - Jack finally admitted, forcing himself to say the apology, as difficult as it was for him to do it - "I shouldn't 'ave threatened o' leavin' you there, and I wouldn't 'ave gone through wit' it Will. I wouldn't" - he repeated.

He waited for Will's response. It had been easier than he expected to admit what he had admitted and to bare his soul to this man. The intimacy of the position they were, Will hadn't pushed him away from him and Jack was still on top of the younger man, had made easy to push forward and try for another kind of closeness. Almost absently, like none of them was fully aware of it, they had kept caressing each other. Will's arms were still surrounding Jack, and he had one hand buried in Jack tresses and the other caressing lower in his back. Jack, flush on top of Will, had kept his hands close touching his neck and face, in a soft caress, instinctively soothing some of the stings of his words. Will finally nodded with his head, like he had reached some inner conclusion.

"I know you were confused, and hurt, and had been alone for too long in that place. I didn't blame you for being angry Jack, I was hurt because I have always thought of you as my friend, and your words felt like a loss I wasn't ready to accept. But I was glad to see you alive and well, and to know you could get out of there" - Will started, weighing his words - "I was disoriented too. Something happened to me when we crossed into that place" - he admitted. Jack looked interested, raising a finger to Will's ear. Will smiled in answer to the silent question - "Yes, my ears are part of what happened to me. Well.." - he trailed off in thought - "They are a manifestation of what I became, or what I became again I guess it would be closer to the truth" - he admitted.

"Wha' you became? Wha' be this, some kind o' curse for comin' t' rescue me?" - he asked feeling guilty again. The fact he had dismissed the friendship they shared was bad enough but if he had done it after his friend had suffered some kind of harm because of him..."

"No, Jack, don't. This is not a curse, and you are not at the fault of anything" - Will said immediately. He took both of his hands to Jack's face and made him lock gazes with him again - "This place, the Locker, it's out of this world. It's a place of old magic if you want to see it like that. More important, it is a place where men go when they die. Men, Jack" - he remarked. Jack looked back in confusion for a moment, until he understood the implication of Will's words.

"Men? 'n you aren't a man?" - he asked, fighting incredulity. He raised finally from Will's body and seated at the bed, resting against the bulkhead. He had seen so much, fought cursed skeletons of his former crew, dealt with a goddess and freed her, fought a cursed captain with god complex... was it so hard to imagine this?

"I... I don't know what Will Turner was or how I came to become him. But I remember being something else, all my life I have fragments of memories I couldn't place or understand. Until I arrived at the Locker and I changed back to what I was" - Will said gradually, while he seated too against the bed headboard - "I wasn't born a man Jack, and I wasn't born in this time either. But I was reborn here, somehow, as a man. And then I wasn't a man any longer. I can't explain it, because I don't understand it myself"- he admitted.

Jack looked again at his friend trying to note down all the differences, now he had confirmation of what they meant. Younger of face although he had been young to start, slighter of body bulk, pointy ears... he tried to point down what he reminded him off while he catalogued the rest of the differences. His hair looked smoother and silkier and he was growing it longer. His eyes were bright _did they glow a bit?_... the picture he was getting was difficult to believe but he needed to ask.

"Are you some kind o' fairy?" - he asked finally. Will smiled amused.

"That is a good question, Jack. I don't know exactly what I would be called at this time. I don't know what happened to my people, if they still exist or if I am the last of my kin"- he stated sadly. Jack nodded thoughtfully.

"You look mostly human t' me. You can pass as human if it wasn't for th' ears, th' rest of th' changes can be explained away, and wouldna be so noticeable if I hadn't known you afore" - Jack commented.

"What other changes have you noticed?" - Wil asked.

"You are pretty" - Jack smiled at the face Will made to that - "Don't get me wrong, lad, ye were good lookin' enough afore, but now you be pretty as a lass''- Jack dodged Will's pillow when he threw it to him and put it in his back with a smile while he continued - "You no longer look like a smith, you look more like a dancer. You move wit' such grace 'n agility, I noticed when I follow you before" - Jack admitted. Will huffed, irritated.

"So anyone who knew me from before will notice" - Will concluded, in a tone which indicated this was just a confirmation of something he already suspected. Jack nodded in agreement.

"They would, aye. Be that why ye left like that? Why you left your bony lass? I am sure she would understand 'n wants you anyway"- he observed. Will denied with a shake of his head.

"Want me again? She didn't want me before. No, Jack. It is not that. I didn't leave Elizabeth because of this, this only made clearer to me that I didn't wish to fight a lost cause anymore. I told you. She is in love with you, not me. That was clear to me. I saw it. And I have been seeing signs long before I had the confirmation" - Will said firmly.

Jack felt his eyebrows raise in surprise. He remembered what Will had said in the town the day before. He had seen them kissing at the ship before the murderess lass had chained him to his own ship.

"You said ye see her kissin' me" - he commented. Will nodded in response - "And thinkin' that I wanted her back, that maybe we had been carry on at your back, ye came t' rescue me?" - he asked, a bit incredulous. Will smiled sadly.

"You were my friend Jack. You were my friend and I was hurt that being my friend, you would carry on like that to my back. But that didn't mean that I would leave you to the Locker if there was any chance for us to save you" - Will said firmly. Jack felt humble, hearing those words. And guilty but he tried to let it go to keep questioning the other.

"So, you were convinced th' lass didn' love you 'n that be th' reason you left aft th' battle?" - he asked doubtfully. He wasn't sure the younger man was right about that. Or the other whatever-he-was, whatever he was if he wasn't a man? He hadn't confirmed or denied Jack's hypothesis - "She looked mighty worried for someone who doesn't love ye. She was drivin' us crazy wonderin' where ye had gone and why ye weren't at Tortuga"

"I was someone safe for her, Jack, a safe port to go back to while she was spreading her wings the way she couldn't with her father, or being engaged to Norrington. But it was always her fantasy to meet a pirate and live that life. When she met me, she mistook me for a pirate because of the medallion. But I wasn't and I have never been one. And when she came to realize this she turned her attention to someone who embodied what had always fascinated her" - Will explained calmly. Jack looked surprised.

"Me?" - he asked pointing exaggeratedly to himself. Will nodded in agreement - "That's... not love" - Jack observed, and he believed it honestly. While he couldn't pretend to know the deeper secrets of love and relationships, he was well-versed and what _wasn't_ love. And this felt similar to the times he had dazzled some woman to sleep with him with wild tales of his adventures.

"It's not true love for sure. But it makes it pretty clear to me that what she felt about me wasn't love either" - Will observed. Jack nodded in agreement.

"So I take you are not in a rush to go save her again?" - Jack asked, creeping closer to the other. Will denied with a shake of his head.

Now that was out of the way he was starting to feel interested again in checking all the differences in Will's body, closely, and in deep. As far as he had been able to feel, all the important parts were the same and fully functional. Will observed his approach without moving from his place at the head of the bed. Once Jack was again over him, crouched on all fours above his prey, he smiled wickedly and asked.

"Now, where were we? I was trying to figure out how different you really are, wasn't I? I need to get a much closer look for that" - Jack said, Will raised an eyebrow in silent challenge. Well, Jack wasn't going to allow that challenge to go unanswered, he sat on Will's legs and raised his hands to his chest, intending to check some of the body which had been hidden so far from view...

* * *


	6. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Jack start to make plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the small delay, I was planning to post yesterday but I became distracted watching ‘The Mandalorian’. Here we have the next chapter anyway. I am planning to post this story to the point of Jack and Will’s journey. Next one should be the travelling through the Atlantic and the last one the arrival to the Old Continent and Will’s search. 
> 
> This work in unbetaed as usual, so feel free to point any mistakes.

Will looked around the Dutchman deep in thought, but his mind wasn't focused on the ship before him, but on the man, he had left sleeping in the cabin behind him. Jack had used every skill he had to thoughtfully explore Will and Will's body. Will wasn't sure how many conclusions he had reached in his exploration, but it had been very enjoyable for both of them.

Will allowed a smile slip from his lips at the memory. He had met many honourable men in his former life, but no one was like Jack Sparrow. With all his past and profession, he thought Estel would have enjoyed meeting him. If they had met when he was a ranger, he would have made into the web of contacts the Dúnadain had made in the world. If he had met him later, as a King, well... it would have been probably harder, but Estel would have tried to steer Jack into a safer and more legal lifestyle. If he could convince him. If anyone could, Legolas thought it would have been the former ranger.

Will shook himself from his musings when he saw Bill... his father he remembered himself, climbing the stairs to the helm where Will had been checking on the ship's general reparations. Spread before him on the table was a schema of the ship made by Will where he had been taking notes and marking the repairs and problems. Legolas had dabbled a bit in sketching, and he had a good eye for dimensions and physics so it had been pretty easy for Will to make the drawing. Bill seemed to think it was pretty extraordinary, but Will didn't think he was being unbiased. In any case, it worked quite well for the goal it was conceived. Once Bill was next to him, the two of them worked their way through the remaining work that was needed for the Dutchman. And the people they would need to crew her.

While they were arguing how many people were going to stay and how many the Dutchman needed to sail, Jack appeared from the door of the captain's cabin. Will heard him walking towards then and turned his head to call a greeting. Jack returned the smile and the greeting and came within reaching distance walking into Will's personal space.

Will held his ground and allowed him to approach waiting to see what the pirate captain was planning to do. Was it felt like a challenge to see if Will would pretend they hadn't been together at his cabin? If so, Jack was going to be disappointed, Will didn't feel constrained by mortal morals and his own people saw no problem with males loving other males. They saw problems with consent, abuse of power or misleading but two of age, fully consensual being in a relationship? or just having fun with each other? that was perfectly fine. Will didn't know if Jack had meant last night as a one-time thing or if he wanted something else, but it wouldn't be Will who would hide anything between them as it was a shameful secret. Once Jack was before him, Will raised his hand to his face touching the skin under his eyes, much lighter today than the night before.

"Did you rest enough Jack? I didn't want to wake you this morning, you looked as you needed the lie down" - Will said warmly. Jack seemed surprised by the kind touch but he didn't reject it or retreated from it, raising his hand to Will's face and closing the distance between them to kiss him. Will returned the kiss without hesitation. Bill turned red and turned his back to them with a cough to give them privacy. Jack now reassured Will wasn't going to deny their involvement, turned to the other man with a wicked smile.

"I am sorry man, your son here be jus' too irresistible at this hour o' the day" - Jack declared cheekily. Bill turned back to the other pirate with a baleful gaze. Jack returned to the schemas and lists they were studying. He looked down to them blinking in surprise.

"Are you plannin' an invasion? And what language are ye usin'? I can not read half o' those notes!" - Jack said, moving the papers around.

Will looked down to his notes seeing them with new eyes. As Bill could barely read, like most of the pirates on the ship, he had been writing those notes for himself automatically using the method he used as a commander of troops at Mirkwood. He had used a truly insane combination of languages and shorthand so it would make it very difficult for most to understand - or spy - on them if they happened to be seen by someone untrustworthy. Probably no one but his father, the twins, _their_ father or Estel would have been able to understand Legolas' notes. Quenya, Sindarin, Sylvan, Westron, a bit of khuzdûl had now incorporated English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish and French to Will's method. He looked at Jack in curiosity.

"But you can read some of them?" - he asked. He knew Jack was much more clever, and educated, than he let to be seen usually, but being able to read was surprising for most of the pirates. He wondered, as he had in the past, where he had come from and what reason had made him turn to piracy.

Jack picked up the ship's drawing and looked back to Will.

"I can read some of them, yes, and this drawing doesn't need a translation. Did you make it?" - he asked. Will nodded with his head. Jack looked down again impressed - "What do those mean?" - he asked signalling the different symbols on the drawing.

Will picked up the papers and started to explain to Jack his plans. Jack’s attention focused on him all the time.

* * *

Will and Jack stayed side to side studying the plans, notes and lists Will had been gathering since they arrived at Mêlée. It was, as Jack had suggested, an extensive amount of information. Will had planned the repairments, refurbishment and preparation of their travels as it was a war campaign. Jack was impressed and quite surprised by the amount of detail the younger man had worked on. Will hadn't tried to plan their next voyage to the last mile, no. But he had studied every aspect he could know or control, from the state of every plank in the ship to the wealth of his crew. Jack had some experience with military men and Will's approach was nearer to that than to a civilian ship's captain.

His notes were another mystery. Jack was better educated than the average pirate, so he was able to read and write decently enough - he wouldn't be able to read as quickly as a nobleman, but he could defend himself. He was even capable of understanding a few words in different languages, Will's notes however used symbols he had never seen before, not even in the East. Also, he was showing his knowledge in other fields. The designs of the Dutchman looked more like the schematics shipbuilders used than simple drawings. His lists of supplies drew from experience managing people, maybe even moving people - _or troops_ \- between places. The picture Jack was getting was _very interesting_.

Jack stretched his arms after reviewing the last list of supplies. Will had been ratting off his notes to Jack, drawing from the captain's experience for anything he had overlooked. That was another genuinely refreshing change from other captains or commanders Jack had known. Will didn't mind admitting his limitations or using other people's knowledge to improve himself or his tasks. There was no apparent ego involved in his decisions or planning. That alone could make Jack believe Will's words about his race. Dressed again, with his hair covering his ears, Will looked 'normal' again. Well, like he had told him the night before, he was... too fair, but for someone who wasn't looking for a supernatural connection, he could pass as a beautiful man if he took care in the way he moved.

And the range of his senses. Jack had noticed that Will was more aware of what was happening around him than he should be able to notice. He raised his head at noises he shouldn't have been able to hear and listened into conversations far beyond Jack's range of hearing. He had even seen him watch the horizon a bit earlier, warning Bill to be wary of the arrival of another ship. Jack had been unable to see even the hint of a sail, even with his spyglass. An hour later, another pirate ship was docking in the port.

Will had noticed Jack's wandering attention so he decided to skip the next list and gave them the chance to change the pace a bit.

"I think this is enough for today, I will need to replan the supplies we will need a bit but I am happy with the list I have drawn now" - Will said. He gathered up his notes and rose from the seat he had taken next to the helm to walk back to his cabin in the back. Jack followed along, nodding.

"It will be a challenge t' obtain some of those supplies here, but they will be useful wit' a crew who is no longer... fishy?" - he trailed off thoughtfully. Will choked back a laugh and Jack smiled back amused.

"Probably true, I can't imagine Jones was too worried about his sailors getting hurt or having a balanced food" - Will admitted.

He had to admit that he hadn't considered that either. Neither now or in his previous life, he had sailed for such a long journey with mortal companions, except for that last time. But his journey with Gimli wasn't the same. Dwarves were - _had been?_ \- a hardy race and not prone to sickness such as scurvy. Actually, he had known several of his race who had been happy to avoid anything green altogether without consequences. Men had different needs than the ones he was used to, and despite having lived as one for almost twenty years he lacked the experience to manage that kind of situation. Jack was an experimented sailor and captain, he had a first-hand experience of what happened in the sea and with the men. His insights had been invaluable, even more than Bill's, who at the end of the day had only been crew and not responsible for managing them.

Will entered his cabin and settled his papers at the desk. Jack entered behind him and closed and locked the door after them. He then walked to the bed and sank there comfortably seated against the headboard. Will didn't know if he was that comfortable at Will's space, or he was pretending to be part of being 'Jack Sparrow'. Either way, he wanted his friend - _lover? partner?_ \- to feel at ease at Will's cabin and to take his place there as granted.

He was still angry on Jack's behalf for the behaviour of the Pearl's crew. He had left his friend with the easy conscience that he was back where he belonged, safe and probably ready for the next pillaging or treasure hunt. He hadn't expected things to go so wrong so fast. Jack seemed to be resigned for now to the Pearl's loss, but Will was sure that his composure was only skin deep.

Jack was looking at him with dark, knowing eyes and when Will returned his look, he asked.

"What is goin' through that pretty head o' yers, William? Those seemed pretty dark thoughts you were havin' there" - he patted the bed next to him. Will smiled and laid down on the bed next to Jack, settling his head on Jack's legs as he would have with the twins long ago during their millennia-old friendship. Jack sank his hands on Will's hair immediately, putting the bandana aside and caressing the luxurious hair. Will sighed when he felt the clever hand massaging his scalp.

"I was..." - he trailed off, not sure if he wanted to bring up the Pearl with Jack, not wanting to bring down the mood. Jack waited patiently, and then, when Will kept hesitating, he gently tapped Will's forehead.

"You looked at me 'n your face turned dark. I know whatever you were thinkin' had somethin' t' do wit' me. Do you regret last night William?" - Jack asked, trying to sound nonchalant but sounding younger to Will's ears. Will rushed to clear that up.

"I don't regret last night as I don't regret anything I have lived through with you Jack, do you believe me?" - he said firmly, looking deep into Jack's dark eyes. He waited until the other man nodded, and then continued.

"I was just thinking of Barbossa and that damned crew. When I decided against going to Tortuga, I did it thinking you all would be alright and I wasn't needed anymore. That you all would be _better off_ without me there to muddle things up for Elizabeth or to make you remember the kind of... bad friend you felt I was. Or to make the things more difficult if you wanted to start something with Elizabeth'' - he said.

Jack's face darkened at the reminder of his ship, and it turned even more sour at Will's words about their friendship and Elizabeth. Will raised his hand to stop Jack's protests.

"I know now that wasn't how you felt about me or our friendship. And I think I had a better understanding now" - he smiled waving at their placement at the bed - "of some of the tension I hadn't understood at the time" - Jack laughed at that, returning his caresses on Will's hair, his face clearing some. - "But that was how I felt at the time. I just feel so guilty that I wasn't there for you when Barbossa struck again. I expect he knew I wouldn't have let him do what he did if I had been there. Although it feels pretty arrogant to think my presence would have changed anything, it feels like he waited for me to leave to stab you in the back" - Will admitted self-deprecating.

Jack said nothing in response to Will's admission, but he kissed him softly. More softly than he had ever kissed any of his former lovers, trying to convey all he couldn’t say in that kiss.

Will didn’t respond out loud either, but he stayed close to Jack, their shoulders continuously touching like he could protect Jack just by being close.

* * *

Jack looked down to the beautiful face lying down on his legs, after his friend - and he had proved he was his friend above all - admitted his feelings. He hadn't been expecting that, all his life he had been only able to count on himself. Even Gibbs' presence had been sporadic and, while he trusted the other man not to betray him outright, he didn't expect him to go out of his way to save him or help him. His arrival to Port Royal for him had been orchestrated by the man laying on him, and he had only convinced the other pirates to return for Jack by sheer determination and because neither of them was skilled enough to be captain to the Pearl on their own. Also, Will had been the one to take all risks rescuing Jack, they had only needed to be present for his escape. With his gaze unfocused and his hand busy in the glorious hair, he started to talk.

"It still feels like a dream, the Locker, the rescue 'n the battle. When we arrived at Tortuga, I was still unsure o' wha' had happened and how we had managed t' survive. Calysto's actions wit' Jones saved us all, true. But was she satisfied by the outcome or would she come back for us, once she was finished wit' her former love? Barbossa and the Pearl's fate weren't in me mind for once. I admit that I would 'ave wanted t' talk t' you. I knew even then that your insights would help me t' settle down. But I had been ignorin' you for days, discardin' our friendship 'n 'twas logical, in hindsight, that you would sooner or later move on. I had believed that havin' Elizabeth wit' me would brin' you t' Tortuga at least, but I hadn't realized how far your relationship had deteriorated" - Jack explained. Will had his eyes closed and kept listening without interrupting. Jack took a breath and continued after a few moments.

"I reckon you be right 'n Barbossa knew you wouldna allow 'im t' loot th' Pearl again. I can see now in his eyes, th' idea formin' when we realized you weren't comin' t' Tortuga. He had been biddin' his time as a good pirate, he probably had been workin' at th' crew already. Gainin' them o'er. Turnin' them against me. Gibbs he knew wasn't a challenge, he be a good sailor but not terribly brilliant. But you were. You had shown yourself clever 'n able t' play th' game o' plottin' wit' me - or against me even - 'n he had been travellin' wit' you t' save me. He _be_ clever too, he realized you were loyal t' me. You were actually th' only one that who wasn't lookin' for me for interest or guilt. You could care less if Beckett or Jones took control o' th' seas" - Jack said. Will opened his eyes again and decided to remember one detail to Jack.

"I wanted to rescue my father" - he observed to see what Jack thought of that.

"You did, 'n you were straightforward wit' me about that. But you didn' need me to rescue 'im, Will. Actually by tryin' to risk bein' unable to do it if it had been unsuccessful" - Jack observed.

Will smiled in recognition. No, his father had been the last thing in his mind when he went to rescue Jack. Jack had been the only thing in his mind when he went to rescue him. It was only after he stepped into that strange white sand he started to remember his past. Once he had been assured Jack would be rescued, and he made clear they weren't friends, that was when Will locked away his feelings and focused elsewhere. He decided to make that clear again to Jack if only to drive away that lost gaze.

He rose to his knees and settled on Jack's lap in a smooth gesture. The pirate was surprised just for a moment and then put both of his hands on Will's. Will placed his hands on Jack's face and looked him in the eyes.

"Jack, I wouldn't have gone to Tortuga for Elizabeth. But I would have gone for you if I thought that would be something you wanted from me. And that is not even accounting this"- Will admitted, signalling the two of them and their current position with his free hand.

As an elf and someone from a very different time and upbringing, his admission wasn't that surprising. It wasn't even a declaration of feelings. Legolas would have done similarly _had done similarly_ , for Estel, Gimli, Eomer and many other friends he had over the years. That was the inherent nature of his race, who had seen bonds like theirs as sacred. Not even his father, no matter how much he loved him and worried about him and his friendship with mortals, had opposed him when he left to help one of his friends as long as it didn't interfere with his duties.

* * *

Will sighed, then he lowered his face down to Jack to kiss him softly. The pirate returned the gesture immediately, trying to deepen the kiss. Will allowed it for a few minutes before he settled his forehead against him. Jack's smile was softer than usual and he raised his hand from Will's side to his face.

"Wha' is goin' through that pretty head o' yours?" - Jack asked finally.

"You haven't asked me why I am planning a journey to the Old Continent, and I haven't asked you about your plans for the future. Am I wrong thinking I have the right to ask you now, Jack? I know you have always valued your freedom and I don't want to encroach in it. I have no experience with this kind of thing. Things with Elizabeth went so horribly wrong that I can barely count it as an experience" - Will smiled self-deprecating - "Even now I don't know if I should be even implying this" - Will admitted, lowering his eyes to his lap. As confident as he had always been with weapons and armies, he was hopelessly lost with what had happened between him and Jack.

The pirate felt surprised at his words. He had been getting used to the man before him being something very different than a normal man. He didn't yet know all about his race or his experiences but he had been able to learn much in the last few hours. Here it was an experimented warrior, a leader of armies and a schooled man - or elf. Now, for the first time since they reunited, he could see again the young, inexperienced man he had first met at a smithy. However seasoned he was at the arts of war in his previous life, it was clear that he hadn't gotten much more experience with relationships in his previous life than he had in this one.

Jack felt an unfamiliar wave of fondness and protectiveness towards this remarkable individual before him. He could just see how some unscrupulous people would love to take advantage of Will's skills, kindness and loyalty. Jack made a silent vow at that moment: he would use every skill at his disposal, every bit of experience he had, every trick in the book he had learnt, to protect Will from the evils of the world. Or at least, if he couldn't shield him from harm, he would help him to avoid those who would take advantage of him. Except for Jack himself, of course, he was a pirate after all!.

With all that running through his head, he brought his hand to Will's nape and pushed him close for a quick, hard kiss before he drew him back to look him in the eye.

"I didn't know you were here when I first sailed. I didn' know 'til I saw the Dutchman in the port. Do you know how did I find you here?" - Jack asked.

Will looked intrigued at the question. He was used to crucial meetings orchestrated by fate - or wizards - so he hadn't given that much thought to the issue, happy to have been able to meet Jack again and maybe bid him a more fitting farewell. When he realized the pirate hadn't arrived with his ship, he had been too busy being enraged with his former crew to give much thought to Jack's arrival to Mêlée. Will hadn't even planned to go to that island after all, until a few hours since they had departed from the Pearl.

"I haven't before, but now I am intrigued, Jack. How did you come to be here? There are far too many islands between here and Tortuga for this to be a coincidence" - Will said thoughtfully.

Jack smiled again and took an object from his belt. Will looked down to the compass surprised.

"The compass? It is supposed to lead you to that you... want the most..." - Will trailed off looking back to Jack with wide eyes. Jack smiled ruefully now.

"Now, don't go thinkin' 'tis a fairy tale romance where you be some kind o' princess...." - Jack trailed off at Will's choking. Jack's quick mind seemed to reach a very wild conclusion and now he was the one whose eyes went big as plates. - "Are you a fairy tale princess? I don't reckon you rightly answer me when I asked you if you were some kind o' fairy now I reckon about it..." - Jack mused out loud.

Even with all he had learnt and lived through, he was struggling with the concept. He had to admit though if someone could pull off to be royalty, it may be the one before him. Will looked conflicted about his answer but Jack's wide-eye gaze made him blush and that was an answer by itself.

"I am... my people are lost to history, Jack. I don't know what happened to them, if they have vanished from this shores or if anyone remains here. I do find some of the tales of the Old Continent... familiar" - Will admitted. Jack nodded thoughtfully. But he pushed the part William hadn't answered.

"Are you royalty, dear William?" - he asked fondly. Will looked up conflicted, and finally nodded, explaining immediately.

"If my people are still here, which is doubtful at best... if some of my family remains... maybe?" - Will finally admitted. At Jack's insistent look he expanded - "My father was the King of the woodland Realm, and I was his son. A prince of my people. Whatever is left of them if any, I don't know if they would welcome me back" - Will concluded.

Jack was intrigued, he raised his hands again to Will's ears and touched them softly.

"You are plannin' t' look for them? That be th' reason you are fixin' th' Dutchman for a long journey. You plan to use it t' reach th' Old Continent and look up these tales t' see if there are some truth in them" - Jack guessed.

"Yes. I know it's not much to go, but I need to know why I am here Jack. And the only way I can think of doing that right now is figuring what happened to my people" - Will admitted.

Jack nodded in understanding. Will hesitated again, but he decided he didn't have anything to lose.

"It's not a treasure or a wild adventure. It's not a magical artefact or a cup which gives eternal life - although in my experience those quests are doomed from the start" - Will said carefully - "But I have a ship and we are going to sail towards the Continent. I don't know what your plans are. Are you planning to look for the Pearl again?" - Will asked Jack, knowing how much he loved that ship.

Jack, however, denied with a shake of his head.

"Barbossa will 'ave left the area already, as he did the last time. I do 'ave somethin' he wants anyway, so maybe we shall cross paths again" - Jack said satisfied.

Will nodded thoughtfully, already imagining what Jack had managed to steal away. It was fitting and he would have loved to see the old pirate's face when he realised that Jack had out-smarted him. He looked to Jack, wondering if he should make the offer he was thinking on. Jack seemed to read his mind and talked again.

"You could use an old pirate in that quest o' yers?" - he asked. Will smiled.

"I would like you with me at the Dutchman, Jack. And maybe we could see where it takes us? Barbossa won't be expecting you to be at this ship" - Will smiled.

"'n wha' would be my position at th' ship? Yer cabin lad?" - Jack asked ironically. This was too good to be the truth. Also not. It was difficult to accept. He would go from being the captain to the Pearl to be at Will's mercy.

Will denied with a shake of his head.

"I think we can find a fitting position for an experienced sailor and pirate. But first, you need to think if you want to come with us or not. It will take us to the Continent. And there is no guarantee of what Barbossa will choose to do. Or that you will find whatever you are looking in those maps in that direction" - Will warned.

He liked Jack, maybe it could grow in something else, although Will - or Legolas - hadn't even considered becoming involved with someone like him. And Jack was a free spirit who had never wanted to be tied down by duty or love. Will didn't expect that their little adventure was more than a realisation of the tensions they had been carrying since they met. And now they had slept together, he didn't expect the other to stay. No one had even wanted, neither in Will nor in Legolas' experience.

With the possibility of losing Jack so close at hand, Will decided to bring the pirate's mouth closer to his again. Jack would stay or he wouldn't, but for tonight, he was Will's.

* * *


	7. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack goes away to think about Will's offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still recovering from the new year. Let’s hope this one is better than the previous, although there were quite a few good things in 2020, so I won’t complain too much. I wish you all a happy new year and I hope we can all have better news in 2021. I hope you enjoy this chapter at least! 
> 
> This work in unbetaed as usual, so feel free to point any mistakes.

Jack wandered the town with his head uncharacteristically in the clouds. He had left Will at the Dutchman already going through his plans to supply the ship for the long journey ahead. Will had made no mention of their discussion the day before or the offer he had put before Jack. He seemed to naturally understand Jack's nature and reticence and he had sent him away to the town to 'explore' at will. If he had not already known about Will's changed nature, that attitude would have been a dead give away. Will had always been kind but patience wasn't among his virtues. Apparently, his past self had learnt it at some point.

He had almost without realising started again for the town's main - and almost only - street. He shook himself out of his distraction, despite Melee's relatively friendly people - and their governor who was apparently a woman, and didn't give Jack flashbacks - it was still full of pirates. Jack's looks and general disposition kept him usually safe from the worst of it but it didn't pay to become too confident.

Stopping below the stone arc which divided the two main parts of the town, his eye was caught by a dirty store at the other side of the street. Strange artefacts could be seen through the dirty glass and Jack walked closer with interest. He hadn't forgotten his original reason to come to this town, and the plans for the Fountain of Youth were still safely stored in his pack. It was unlikely that he would find anything worthwhile in a place like this but it didn't hurt to try and Jack always loved the extravagant. Maybe he would find a new trinket to replace the one he had lost to Barbossa with the whole Calypso situation. His mind made up, he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door into the dark inside.

The shop was as strange as promised from outside, a compendium of all kinds of strange devices, their use unknown to Jack. The walls at the front of the store had shelves filled with everything: from candles to incense, strange idols and books mixed. The back of the store was divided by a beaded curtain and a strange green light could be spied behind.

Jack walked carefully to the curtain, cautiously stepping into the elevated platform and separating the curtain with one of his hands before crossing to the other side. It was only when he had fully stepped into the platform that the lights brightened enough for him to see the woman waiting for him.

For a crazy moment he almost jumped out of his skin at her aspect. Despite the obvious differences, the woman before him had brought Calypso's appearance to mind. It was only an illusion given their shared profession. The woman was darker and curvier than the Goddess. If Jack wasn't a man of the world, he would almost call her a bit _round_. The woman's dark gaze made him gulp in respectful fear and he tried his best, charming smile.

"Good mornin', me beauty. Forgive me fer th' interruption. Ye 'ave a mighty interestin' shop here" - he said charmingly trying to avoid looking directly to those dark, dark eyes. He had a healthy respect for those who wandered in the spirit world, even before he saw what happened to Barbossa and the Pearl.

"Welcome, what may I help you with?" - she asked him. Jack looked at her warily, but her welcoming tone and words decided him to risk it. It wasn't Jack nature to avoid danger, after all. However, before he could answer her, the voodoo lady interrupted him.

"Wait... don't say it. I can sense your name is... Jackie Teague" - she said, startling Jack with the inaccurately accurate answer. He decided to avoid that conversation.

"Jus' Jack be fine fer a Lady such as ye" - he said with a flirty smile. The voodoo woman laughed in response.

"You are a charming one I can see. But it is the one you have left behind who holds your interest. Not that I can blame you. It is difficult to compete with one of the First Born, the Fair Folk does not walk among us unnoticed neither their presence is by chance" - she said shrewdly.

Jack blinked in surprise. He understood the reference to Will although he was surprised by the names. The Fair Folk seemed quite obvious, but he wondered at the other one. First born implied some kind of order? The woman continued her explanation? prediction?

"You have a path before you that few have been presented with. A path which hasn't been seen since the last time Kings walked this shores" - the voodoo lady said ponderously. Jack raised an eyebrow at that. He wasn't very worried about politics and the like, but he was reasonably certain that there was a good amount of Monarchies happily installed in some Ol' countries. Voodoo lady answered his thoughts as before- "I do not mean those lowly children running around the Old Continent. I mean the true Kings which shaped our world before the Age of the Men. The Last one of them ruled fairly at the start of our Era. He ruled over the Man but his heart belonged to the First Born. And his dead marked the End of an Era. The Era of Heroes, of Fellowships and Quests" - she continued, her voice so theatrical - Jack could almost hear the capital letters - that Jack was starting to feel like clapping.

The woman seemed to sense his scepticism because her face turned thunderous. A brief gesture of his hand lightened the green, steaming cauldron on her right. Jack jumped in surprise despite himself.

"I can see you are a cynic. Very well, Mr Sparrow. You have come here for a reason, you don't need me for this quest of yours. You have all you need to reach your goal, if that is your wish. Your friend doesn't need you either to find his people. It is a dangerous decision for one of us to love one of the First Born anyway. Even worse for one of them to love us. You won't be a fitting choice for the woodland prince" - the woman dismissed carelessly.

Jack felt dismissed and discarded like he was worthless. The voodoo lady waved him away like he was an annoying fly she wanted away from her presence. Her words buzzed in Jack's ears making him almost dizzy. She seemed to imply that he and Will - _woodland prince?_ \- had some kind of fate together. Her words about quests and heroes and Kings didn't attract Jack who had left any thought of that long behind with a ship full of slaves.

He could have walked away and given no further thought to her claims...

But her implication that he wasn't _worth it_ , that he wasn't a _fitting_ companion for Will, after the last two days... that ranked, it hurt Jack into a place he had thought he was immune.

But he clearly wasn't so. Jack was a pirate, a scumbag, a scoundrel... and he was proud of it to a certain point. But meeting Will he had rediscovered some of the things he had thought long buried. He had found in Will what he had convinced himself was a myth: nobility, self-sacrifice and the determination to do the right thing no matter the cost to yourself. Will had believed in those things and acted in consequence. And with that determination, he had been able to resurrect a bit of it in those around him. Those dirty, selfish pirates that had returned for Jack when he was sentenced to death in Port Royal just at Will's word that he would get him out, and they just needed to be there to pick him up. Barbossa and he, which couldn't stand the other sight, had fallen in line with Will's plans. The whole of them had gone to rescue him into the Locker.

Yes, Jack had no doubt that all of that had been Will's influence. It was he who had started that sparkle which grew into a flame and drew the pirates after he and his noble plans.

Jack nodded to himself, his decision made and turned away from the woman towards the shop entrance. He had reached the door and was ready to cross it when the voodoo lady's parting words reached him.

"You will find what you are looking for with him, the First Born are the oldest beings in this land and they have kept a close eye on any artefact which can be a danger to the balance. Both of your paths are conjoined and the two of you are better together than apart" - the woman said before a green light was seen on the back of the shop and she disappeared. Jack took a quick look around before he rushed out.

He had a prince to find and some new questions to ask.

* * *

Bill entered the captain cabin with heavy steps. He stopped at the entrance and looked at his son's forms in pride mixed with shame to know he had little to do with how the boy had turned out.

Will was a handsome man the same as he had been a beautiful boy. Shoulder-length dark curly hair, braided back from the sides and into a tail tied at the nape. Even handsome features with a straight nose and a full mobile mouth. His beautiful grey-blue eyes were framed with dark lashes. His skin was soft and paler than it should be for a sailor, and it seemed to glow in some lights. Bill would bet that most of the high society Ladies would kill to have a similar complexion even with the use of all their powders, but Will pulled it off without any effort.

By looks alone, he wasn't surprised that his old captain Jack had been attracted to the boy - _man_ \- his son had become. And that was only taking his looks into account. He had also noticed the comfortable rapport the two of them had with each other. The whole day before, when Will and he had been discussing their plans and the supplies the ship needed for the trip, they had seemed like a well-oiled machine in their back-and-forth. What Will lacked in his knowledge of the needs of the crew - or the ship to be kept afloat - Jack had easily supplied it with his long experience. And Jack's carefree and somehow disorganised attitude had been well matched with Will's list and organised mind.

Bill had no doubt that the two of them could bring the ship back to shape and supplied for the long Atlantic journey in no time.

Will looked up from the map he had been studying and studied Bill's face in question to his presence. Something on his face must have given him away because Will's look turned a bit amused and he left the back of the desk to walk around it - closer to Bill - and lent back at the front edge in a careless position which reminded Bill of Jack.

"If you are here to warn me about Jack, you should know that I doubt there is anything that you can tell me that will surprise me" - Will commented calmly, his voice matching his posture.

Bill hesitated for a moment, wishing he had more information about how the two of them had met.

"I understand ye 'ave been in some adventures together. That you consider 'im... a friend" - Bill said carefully. Will nodded easily but he didn't give anything else away - "I 'ave known Jack for a while afore Barbossa betrayed 'im. He ain't a bad man, but he is above all a pirate. He has no loyalty further than himself" - Bill said.

Will's gaze stayed intent on Bill's and he felt like the value of all his life was being weighed. It was difficult to keep his gaze steady and he finally lowered it to the ground, ashamed that he was unable to keep it on his son's but completely unable to keep it up. Will's voice was gentle but firm.

"Jack is a pirate. And so are you, and so I am" - Will started, Bill raised his gaze in surprise - "The reasons I had to join a pirate crew are not more excusable than Jack's or yours, even less in the law's eyes. I won't judge Jack for it anymore. I am judging you or anyone else in this crew. Jack is a pirate, yes. But that is not all he is, and even if it was he _is_ my friend, and he has been that from the start. I knew he was a pirate from the first moment I saw him, he has never lied to me and I didn't offer him my friendship expecting for that to change" - Will concluded. Before Bill could respond, Jack's amused voice called from the door.

"O' course ye knew I was a pirate. You fight me to a standstill at that smithy 'n you knocked me out wit' a pot or somethin'" - Jack said, entering the room until he was level with Bill looking at Will challengingly. Will rose his eyebrow in response, his eyes betraying his amusement.

"I didn't knock you out, that was Mr Brown. And you threw dirt to my face, just for that you deserved your night in the cell" - Will said, his face made a disgusted motion at the mention of the dirt.

Bill couldn't help his laughter despite being nervous at Jack's appearance, wondering how much he had listened.

"You always hated dirt. For such a little boy, you had some kind of obsession with cleanliness and it seemed like dirt wouldn't go close to you" - he commented reminiscent. Will's face took a melancholic mien at his words.

"A friend just to tell me that. We could go together on a three-month journey and he arrived at our destination looking like a wild man which had been dragged all the way there. He used to complain that he carried the dirt for both of us and that was why he got so dirty. Which was ridiculous, nevertheless because he arrived even worse when he was alone" - Will said distractedly, his mind clearly far away.

Before Bill could ask for more clarification - and who was this friend he was talking about which made him look that fond mixed with sad - Jack interrupted rudely walking the last few steps to Will's side, kissing him fully in the mouth.

"I am sure your friend is happy that you have been keeping the tradition" - Jack said once he had released Will, and continued waving Bill away - "We have an unfinished conversation from this morning. I would like to ask you a few things before I gave you my answer" - Jack concluded.

Will looked at him seriously, before nodding to whatever he saw at Jack's face. He nodded to Bill then, bidding him farewell.

"Thank you for your concern, but I need to talk with Jack now. Please, close the door when you leave, we want to have this conversation privately" - Will said, his gaze never leaving Jack's.

Bill nodded in response and turned away from the pair. Jack's gaze and attitude were new to Bill, and he didn't know what to think. If he didn't know better he would have thought that the other man had been irritated at Bill's intervention and opinions about him despite none of them being anything Jack hadn't proudly claimed in the past.

While he closed the door behind him, he made the resolution to keep a close eye on his old friend. Will may trust him but Bill wasn't going to be so easily convinced. He wouldn't fail his son again.

* * *

Jack locked the door behind Bill once he had finally left the cabin. He hadn't missed his old crewman's expression of distrust but he didn't want to think about that now.

Turning back to Will, he examined the younger man with new eyes. Will had taken seat again behind the desk, leaning back against the headrest with a calm expression in his blue eyes. Jack examined every inch of that face trying to spot what made him... non-human.

The proportions were right, he decided. Eyes, lips, nose, eyebrows, they all looked normal. It was, in the whole, a very attractive face but he couldn't spot anything abnormal in it. However, that was when the problem started. His skin, when looked closely, was not only too terse and flawless but it had a strange glow in it. Will was paler than he should be given the time he had spent by now at the sea, and that made that strange glow even more obvious. It wasn't that clear in the sunlight, but it was in the night when the light of the stars graced his skin, it looked...yes, Jack admitted, it looked foreign. Non-human. And if you spotted Will's ears behind his growing curtain of hair, that thought was quickly strengthened. Those pointed ears _weren't_ human - although they were cute.

"Have you gotten your fill already?" - Will asked wryly. Jack walked the expanse of the room towards Will without answering, only stopping once he was beside the desk looking down into Will's calm eyes.

"I dunno. I have the impression that you haven't told me everythin' you remember, 'ave you Will? You haven't told me everythin' you be." - he commented walking boldly to the chair and straddling Will's on it. Will rose his hand to Jack's hips to hold him in place, unable to repress a surprised grunt.

"I have told you more than I have told anyone else, Jack. And there are many things I don't know about, myself. I don't know how I came to this time, or to Bill Turner's family. And I don't know why I appeared as human until we reached the Locket" - Will responded, his expression bewildered like he didn't understand what Jack was talking about.

Jack looked down to his honest face wondering. It was true that he had admitted his father's position as a King and his own as a prince, and he seemed to give it no more significance than something long past. Given his ignorance of what had happened to his people that title may have as little value as he was giving it, but the priestess' words had implied otherwise.

Deciding that he didn't give more weight to that woman's words that they deserved, he lowered his face to kiss Will straight into the mouth. Will made a strangled noise at his gesture, but soon he enthusiastically joined in the kiss. Jack took advantage of Will's noise to slip his tongue in and trace the inside of his mouth, battling Will's.

Seated as he was on Will's lap, he could feel the younger man's reaction below him and he couldn't resist the urge to squirm in place, trying to win some friction for both of them. Will's strong hands on his hips encourage him to move while caressing the sides of his legs before they ventured to Jack's lap.

Jack let out a rough gasp on Will's lips when Will's hand closed on his erection. He pushed unerringly against it, trying to get more of it.

Will huffed a laugh and turned his face to kiss Jack's neck before he focused down. He quickly unlaced Jack's pants and drew him out. Jack held on on his shoulders, moaning happily at the contact, burying his hands in Will's luscious hair.

"Are you goin' t' jus' looked at it, William?" - he asked hoarsely. Will bite his neck in retaliation prompting a yelp, before he opened one of the drawers on the desk to look for something there.

"You don't know how to be quiet, do you Jack?" - he asked breathlessly, and squeezed softly when Jack started to squirm again and almost unseated the two of them - "Or still! _Daro_ , Jack! You are part eel or what?" - he asked laughingly, managing to grab what he was looking at and bringing it up to their inspection.

It was a small bottle of oil, generally used to take care of guns and swords to prevent rust and similar. Jack grabbed it greedily and opened the cork, pouring a small amount in Will's waiting hand.

Will then used it to coat Jack's erection before he started a delicious - and familiar - motion. Jack lost all sense of time or anything, grasping Will's shoulders again while he confidently started to caress him while he kissed his neck and what he could reach of his chest from his opened shirt.

Jack could do nothing - and wanted nothing else - but held on for the ride.

* * *

Jack awoke slowly from a deep slumber. It had been a long time since he had felt safe enough to sleep this deeply. He took stock of his surroundings without opening his eyes.

He was laying on a soft surface, a very comfortable bed, surrounded by warm covers. The slight movement he felt around him was the gentle swagging of a docked ship. Close to him, he felt the warmth of another form under the covers. That woke him up fully and he opened his eyes to the gentle light of an early morning.

Looking to his left, he saw the face of his companion, relaxed in slumber. And Will was a sight to behold, this early in the morning. Jack studied the fair features trying for objectivity. He wanted to know if he would have figured out Will's 'otherness' even if he hadn't been told.

Sleeping as he was, turned on his stomach, Will's relaxed face looked terribly young with his blemishless skin. Jack hadn't asked his age, but he thought he couldn't be older than mid-twenties at best, so that could be explained away. The tone of his skin was maybe too light for a sailor, but Will's pirate career was still short. In this light, his strange glow could be easily overlooked as a trick of the light.

But the most strange feature which immediately gave him away were his pointy ears. Jack lifted a finger towards Will's face to trace the rim of the closest one from the lobe to the delicate point.

"Are you touching my ears?" - Will asked sleepily.

"They are pretty" - Jack said, shamelessly.

Will laughed softly in response, turning a bit on his side to watch Jack.

"They are just ears. For me, your round ears were as strange when I first saw them" - Will commented with a fond, reminiscent smile.

Jack was intrigued at the small hints his friend _his lover_ threw out there. But he didn't want to get sidetracked again, they would have time for questions later on. He had made a decision.

Will seemed to realise that too because he sat against the headboard and looked at him expectantly.

Jack didn't intend to make it easy for it, regardless.

"I am nah goin' t' be your cabin lad" - he warned before he amended - "Although I would make a wonderful one, really attentive t' me cap'n" - he said wickedly, placing his hand on Will's leg. Will let out a laugh at that, his eyes lighting up in response.

"I am sure you would Jack. No one better than Jack Sparrow to be anything he wants to be. But I wasn't thinking of you being the captain cabin boy, actually, I was wondering if you wouldn't prefer to invert those roles" - he said easily, his face turning serious.

Jack felt almost like all the air had been knocked out of his chest when he understood Will's offer.

"Me? The cap'n of the Dutchman?" - he asked breathlessly.

"It was what you wanted, wasn't it? Granted, that was when you planned for that to give you eternal life, but with the Pearl... unavailable for now... this is a good ship, you have seen it yourself. And I don't need to be its captain, I just want passage for the continent. As long as you make that your first stop, it's yours" - Will said calmly, as he wasn't offering Jack the captaincy of a whole ship.

Jack felt as he was going to faint at the offer, his incredulity almost a living thing. At the same time, the temptation of the offer was staggering. He couldn't believe that anyone would dismiss something like the Dutchman just like that but looking into Will's clear, honest gaze he couldn't doubt him. The lad clearly didn't care about the worth of the ship or the fame it had. He just wanted safe passage to the continent and that was all.

"Ye can't give away this ship!" - he finally exclaimed hoarsely. He figured out this was the proof he had changed as he wasn't jumping to the chance to take the ship.

Will looked at him like he was the one being irrational.

"I have little use for it Jack, you know I am not.. I thought for a while to join your crew at the Pearl, but I never wished to be a ship captain. I am a warrior, a diplomat, a smith, even a healer sometimes. But I have never intended to be a sailor and while I would do my best for the Dutchman, isn't it more logical to have you as its Captain? Given you actually know what you are doing?" - he explained. Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I've seen th' plans you 'ave done for th' ship. You are a gifted commander William. I am sure this ship can nah be in safer hands'' - he said, surprised that he actually meant what he was saying. While he wouldn't have willingly given up the Pearl to anyone, he was surprised to realise that he would have trusted Will with her. He, as he had freely admitted, wasn't an experienced sailor, but he _knew_ how to command people and he was a gifted leader.

Without realising, Jack had made a decision.

"I shall be your cabin lad" - he sentenced easily, lying down again on the bed with a satisfied smile on his face. Will looked down to him incredulously and Jack felt proud of having shaken that preternatural calm the other seemed to have acquired along with his new ears.

"My cabin boy?! I don't need a cabin boy! And you are not a boy anyway" - Will observed, his eyes going wide at the thought. Jack smiled wickedly, closing his eyes in satisfaction. He would remember that expression for the rest of his life.

"'tis decided. 'tis better if I lay low fo a while anyway, we don't want Barbossa's attention for now if we want to reach th' old continent. I reckon I like the idea o' layin' about this ship without th' cap'n's responsibilities anyway" - he said, caressing the soft sheets on the bed.

He could almost hear Will rolling his eyes beside him.

"I don't think that are the duties of a cabin boy" - he observed.

"But ye said you didn' needs one! So I shall 'ave little to do" - he said wisely, opening his eyes and looking up innocently to the other. Will sighed in response, lying down again like he was giving up on the discussion. His next words confirmed that.

"I doubt you will be able to laze around, anyway, but very well. Your official position here will be my cabin boy. Valar protect me" - he muttered, closing his eyes in defeat. Jack crawled towards him until he was within reach and insinuated himself under the other's arm. Will obligingly rose his arm to Jack to snuggle to his chest.

"I shall be the best cabin lad you can imagine, William. You will want for naught" - he said with a smile.

Will opened his eyes and finally smiled back fondly, something amused creeping in his eyes.

"Well, last time I embarked in a journey this long, it was with a dwarf. You can't certainly be worse than him. He hated sailing, the ship, the movements of it, the food... just about everything really" - he admitted, although his fond voice betrayed his true feelings about his former companion. He surrounded Jack's shoulder with his arm and said - "Let's go back to sleep, it's still too early to go into the town and I want to find some new crew. As my new cabin boy, you can come with me to make me company. Feel free to tell what you think of the potential new crewmates, just for fun you understand" - Will concluded, kissing Jack softly into silence and laying back down to rest.

Jack debated for a moment if he wanted to make an issue of that, but given that he really wanted to veto the new crew he decided to let it go, laying down on the other's man chest and closing his own eyes to rest a bit longer.

* * *


	8. A pact with the devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liv, back in Tortuga, is trying to find passage back to Port Royal. It seems that pirate life is not as safe as she thought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a big warning here. Take a look at the new tags. Go to the end notes for further warning if you wish.
> 
> Only another last chapter, and then we will enter in the second arc of this story. I will take a while to write that, I want to have at least a few chapters before I start to post, as I did with this one and I am still working on it.
> 
> This work in unbetaed as usual, so feel free to point any mistakes.

Elizabeth looked after the man walking away from her in frustrated anger. She hadn't been having much luck of late and this latest discussion had been the icing on the cake. She had to repress her wish of screaming at the pirate walking away from her, knowing - from experience - that she could only push so much.

She rubbed her cheek absently, remembering the first time she had insulted one of the potential pirates she had been trying to convince to take her to a port closer to Port Royal. _She_ had laughed on Elizabeth's face saying it wasn't worth the hassle to get that close to a legit port and that Elizabeth didn't have anything of worth to pay for her passage - never mind the fact she would have to keep her crew in line with someone like Elizabeth on board.

Elizabeth had bristled at the implication she needed _protection_. She had sailed and captained the Empress when Sao Feng had died. She had given it up to Tai Huang at the battle but she hadn't expected for him to disappear once all the mess was over! It's true that she had been at the Pearl and she had expected to leave with Will at the end and had no interest - or knowledge if she was truly honest with herself - to captain the Chinese pirate ship but now it would have come handy to have it available...

She may have miscalculated then insulting the pirate Captain, calling her a coward and unsuited to be a captain if she couldn't control her crew. That Elizabeth would take control of it if she couldn't and maybe teach her a thing or two before she returned it to her... the punch in the face had been a surprise - not ladylike slap with that one - and Elizabeth had been thrown overboard without another word.

That had been a miserable night when she had returned to Tortuga soaked to the bone. Not even the most disputable taverns wanted her around then, and there was no other accommodation at Tortuga. Elizabeth had waited for the daylight to appear from one of the beaches trying not to froze with a small fire she had managed to light with a stolen torch.

Turning around from the dock she had been standing on, the pirate had long gone from sight inside his ship, she almost missed the three new pirates who had crept behind her. She unconsciously took a step back when he saw the bulking, unwashed forms of them looking at her unprotected back.

"Hello, pretty one. Ye seem t' be a bit lost, aren't ye?" - the tallest of them said with a crooked smile full of missing teeth.

Elizabeth gave another step back, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and those men. She wasn't so foolish not to notice they were alone at that side of the dock and anyone who may have been looking had drifted away from the confrontation.

Elizabeth put her hand to her waist belt, looking for the gun she had strapped there while the three men moved around her to surround her and crow her.

"I am not lost and I am leaving now" - she said, as firmly as she could.

The smile she received in response wasn't reassuring.

* * *

When the man finally left her, Elizabeth let out a hoarse breath, her voice already too gone to even make a complaint. She felt him give a last clumsy pat to her chest from where they were out in the open through her shredded shirt.

Elizabeth couldn't understand anything her attackers were saying above her, her ragged breath too loud to her ears and her mind too numb to process anything besides taking her next breath. Lying down on her back with her legs still open, in the dirty alley, with her clothes a shredded, bloody mess opened from the neckline to her waist, Elizabeth couldn't tell if it had been an hour, a day or just a few minutes.

She didn't care to tell, the only important thing was kept breathing. Kept breathing until it was over and she could crawl somewhere. She felt someone touching her again like it wasn't her body, and the feeling of another body getting close to her barely reached her. She was slipping away again in her mind, already remembering one of her father's parties when the sound of a shot finally roused her a bit from her dazzle.

She felt the body next to her falling to the side, and she tried to focus her swollen eyes on the looming figure which had appeared at the entrance of the alley. The other two men quickly scurried out of the alley through the other side, without even looking at the dead man beside her, but Elizabeth didn't pay attention to them already, focused on the big, round hat with a swaying feather in the top.

It was pretty, it looked a lot like the feather painted in her favourite fan. Just a bit more ragged, of course.

The man in the feather placed something around her - a coat? - before he picked her up, whatever he was telling her, Elizabeth didn't hear it. It was like he was talking in some foreign language. French?, German?, Chinese? Her father had wanted for her to learn some other languages, so she could entertain foreign diplomats - and maybe marry one of them - when they visited and he had hired some tutors. Of course, Elizabeth hadn't been interested in that. But _Will_ had, he commented that learning new languages and being able to communicate with other people was always useful regardless if she wished to follow her father's aspirations on marrying a foreign ambassador or not. Her father had believed he would be a good influence and kept her in her lessons so he had brought him in to be taught alongside her.

Of course, the result had been that Will had learnt quite a few new languages, French, German, Spanish, Chinese... and Elizabeth barely was able to say hello in some of them, and sometimes wasn't sure what language she was attempting.

Will had been surprisingly adept to learn them, however, and her tutors had been enchanted with him, barely believing he was training as a smith in the town instead of trying to become her father's aide. But Will hadn't seemed offended, saying he was happy to learn from as many people as he could. And he wanted to learn a skill which wouldn't make him dependent on anyone.

Elizabeth felt the brush of something rough on her back and she realized she had been laid down on some bedding. She burrowed on the bed she had been placed on and closed her eyes, her mind still going through more happy times, when Will and she had run wild around Port Royal, happy and free.

* * *

For a few moments when Elizabeth woke up, she thought she was back home, in her room trying to catch a bit more of sleep while her father and their servants moved around the house. In a few moments, Ginny would enter the room with a cup of tea and wake her up.

Of course, the reality was too stubborn with the touch of rough sheets against her cheek and the feeling of... stickiness on her skin finally released her from that dream. Elizabeth opened swollen eyes to the mid-morning light barely able to see her surroundings through the slit she was able to open. When she tried to move to lay on her back, the pain on her overworked muscles made her gasp loudly. A familiar voice intruded into her agony.

"You are awake at least I see. I thought I would need t' pour a bucket o' water on you and that wouldn't 'ave been gentlemanly" - Barbossa said easily, walking to her bedside from the back of the room where he had been working on something on the desk.

Elizabeth rose from her position painfully aware of every bruise and scratch on her body. Barbossa didn't try to help her and for that she was grateful, she didn't think she could stand the touch of him at that moment. Only the brief memory of the evening before left her breathless and almost paralysed her before she buried it as deep as she could.

Once she was more or less upright, leaning back on the headrest, she looked around as best as she could to the cabin. She seemed to be on the Captain cabin in the Black Pearl, lying down on the bed. She felt another shudder creeping up her spine at the thought of being in Barbossa's bed. The man himself intruded in her scattered thoughts again.

"Well? It looks like you 'ave gotten yourself into a bit of trouble, haven't you Miss Swann?" - Barbossa asked, not unkindly. Elizabeth finally turned towards him, again having to repress the instinct to back away against the headrest. She still was unable to repress the flinch his nearness provoked her.

"Barbossa? How did I get here?" - she asked, her voice as rough as sand. She tried to clear up her throat and Barbossa rose again to bring her back a cup of clean water. He offered it to her from as much distance as he could put between them. Still, Elizabeth needed all her strength to reach out and pick it up.

Barbossa returned to his seat, his intelligent blue eyes never leaving her face.

"I found you at an alley wit' some... unpleasant company yesterday. You were a bit out o' it for a while so I brought you back here 'n let you sleep it off, Miss" - Barbossa explained sparsely. Elizabeth nodded in response, her mind still muddled and confused but a question clear in her mind.

"Why did you help me? Why did you save me and take me here?" - she asked.

"Maybe I am jus' a nice guy?" - he said facetiously. And after Elizabeth looked, he continued - "Aye, I wouldn't believe that either. Mostly, Miss, I was actually back here lookin' for ole Jack 'n wondered if you 'ad any information. As your... business didn't seem t' your likin' and I wasn't sure you would be of any use to me if I left them t' progress I decided t' intervene" - the old pirate admitted shamelessly. Elizabeth noticed absently with that part of her mind which preferred to focus on something - anything - else, that when he was playing the pirate, his talk turned rougher and when he was trying to charm her, it turned smoother and more educated.

"Whatever your reasons, I thank you for your intervention, Sir" - she said grudgingly. It hasn't escaped her notice the fact that, if the pirate hadn't wanted something from her, he wouldn't have intervened.

Barbossa bowed irreverently from his seated position before he rose again for a small basin full of water placed aside. He brought it back and settled it at the bedside table, saying.

"I need to check on my men. You should wash up a bit and join us for a late meal. I have a few questions to make you in return for my early favour" - Barbossa briskly, already walking back towards the door of the room. He opened it and exited the room without another word, leaving Elizabeth to herself, and to her thoughts.

* * *

Hector watched the small figure of Elizabeth Swann entering the Black Pearl's mess. She looked marginally better than she had half an hour ago. She had taken time to clean up a bit and try to brush her hair in some semblance of order. Her clothes had been lost, not only ripped apart but tainted with blood and worse fluids. She had taken advantage of his wardrobe and had made some kind of outfit from what she found there.

It strangely suited her and Barbossa felt a shot of satisfaction seeing the proud wench having fallen so low to have to accept his clothes when she had rejected even a gown from him in the past.

Elizabeth walked in with the poise of a Queen somehow ruined by her strange movements. Hector repressed a dark smile at suspecting that the chit must have been a virgin prior the night before. He wasn't surprised that the noble Mr Turned would have stood firm to wait for their wedding night to consummate their relationship although it would have been slightly better for the girl if her first experience wouldn't have been as it was.

Elizabeth took a seat as far away from Hector as she could and still within reach of the food on the table. Hector smiled at her with his version of politeness and waved her towards the spread food.

"Serve yourself, dear. We don't stand t' formalities here as you can imagine. I hope you find somethin' t' your taste" - he said grandiosity while he continued applying his attention to his food. Elizabeth, after a moment of hesitation, fell in the food like a starving thing. Which she probably was. Hector left her to it for a few minutes, until it seemed as she was slowing down nursing a cup of tea in her hands. Then he started his questioning.

"I take it, given you are still here that the honourable Mr Turner has decided he no longer wants to be your cuckolded fiancee any longer" - Hector asked straightaway. While he hadn't wanted to take any part between the two of them - it had been far funnier to see the spectacle from aside - he hadn't missed that the two of them had seemed strangled from before they had gone to rescue Jack. A few inquiries to the chatty friends around the couple, particularly that fool of Gibbs, had told him the whole story.

Hector had been surprised and torn between admiration and scorn to realize that the young man had still planned to save Jack despite the men going at his back with his fiancee. Still, he had admired the loyalty and envied Jack for it, and became a bit angry when he realized that the other pirate didn't even appreciate it in the Locker.

Regardless the outcome of that friendship, and he wasn't still certain of how much of what had happened had been planned between the two of them and how much was backstabbing from one to the other - those two had a _strange_ partnership if nothing else - Hector hadn't been surprised to discover that the lad had disappeared with the Dutchman at the first available moment, washing his hands from both treacherous 'friends'. He actually admired his style and had been very amused at the outcome of that drama. It also left him free to abscond with the Pearl, he had been cautious about the possibility of having Jack and he joined against him if he stole it again.

Still, he wondered if there wasn't anything else he wasn't seeing. The boy had rescued Jack regardless of his actions with the wench so he showed a moral fibre beyond anything Hector had seen before. Would he return to his former fiancee help if he heard she was in trouble?

Elizabeth had looked up to his question, her face enraged at the question.

"I didn't cheat in Will, you swine! That you are incapable of loyalty to anyone doesn't mean that the rest of us aren't!" - she said, incensed. Hector raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her outburst.

"Word travels fast, lassie. I heard about you n' old Jack. I can't blame 'im for th' taste although I reckon you could do better. You _had_ better actually" - Hector said, watching to see how she would react at the accusation. She looked even more irate.

"It wasn't like that. It was a misunderstanding! I was just tricking him so he would stay with the Kraken and we could escape" - she said almost at top volume.

Hector laughed delightedly at that.

"Ah! 'n you natter about loyalty! No wonder your lad left you. A boy like 'im, who values sincerity 'n doin' the right thin' as he clearly do could ne'er stay wit' a backstabbin' wench like you. That figurin' he bought that lie o' yours about you kissin' that ole pirate jus' t' trick 'im!" - Hector said, still laughing but keeping an eye on the wench. She was starting to look angry enough to stab him with a fork - he hadn't been fool enough to leave a knife within reach.

"I saw no other option. I won't apologize for that" - she said stubbornly. Hector laid back on his chair again looking at her in an appraisal.

"You don't need t' ask it, certainly. I can see th' appeal. But 'tis not me who needs to be convinced. I take Mr Turner didn' see it like that?" - he asked a bit more kindly. She turned back to her forgotten tea, taking a sip and making a face at the taste. Cold tea made the blend even more unpalatable.

"He... he didn't understand. And after the Locket, he no longer wanted to even talk about it! He was focused on Jones and his father and he said we didn't know each other and it had been a mistake to try and make it more than it was. He broke the engagement!" - she admitted finally, her eyes full of tears.

Hector rose his eyebrows again in surprise, passing her a napkin to clean her tears. That he hadn't known. So the boy had grown a pair and made a clean break. They had kept it silent for the lass reputation, but he felt even more lost about what had happened.

"You seemed convinced he would come back for you at Tortuga those past weeks" - he said. Elizabeth looked even more wretched.

"He told me to go to Norrington. I thought he was just angry but he would get past it. He didn't know anything out there, I thought we would go back to Port Royal and we would go back on track. He doesn't have any family and that is the only life he knows!" - she explained, trying to justify. Hector shook his head at her naivete but chose another track, as amusing as that drama was, it wasn't truly his concern.

"Do you reckon he would 'ave told Sparrow wha' he was going t' do?" - he asked. It occurred to him that Jack, once he had lost the Pearl, may go to the boy if he knew where he had disappeared to.

"Jack looked as surprised as us of Will's absence. I don't think the two of them had the chance to talk in all that mess anyway" - Elizabeth observed thoughtfully, and calmer now she could focus on something besides justifying her actions.

"He looked that, aye. But I don't trust that one. I wouldna be surprised if he was havin' a good laugh behind our backs" - Hector said darkly, still angry about the stealing of the maps. Never mind he had stolen the Pearl, damn it!

"Why are you asking me about Jack? Why don't you ask him yourself?" - she asked, looking surprised. Hector looked at her unimpressed in return.

"Jack and I ... parted ways a few days ago" - he responded, surprised that the girl didn't realize that. She looked around the mess then.

"But this is the Pearl... Do you mean you have stolen the Pearl again from Jack? That you have mutinied again?" - she asked, her face looking more fascinated than outraged. Hector shrugged.

"They jus' preferred me leadership t' Jack's. Ye can blame them fer that" - he said easily.

Elizabeth shook her head in response, unconvinced.

"But you are looking for him now?" - she asked, showing a hint of her former shrewdly.

"He left wit' somethin' o' mine, I didn', unfortunately, realized th' loss 'til we had parted ways' ' - he admitted. Elizabeth raised her own eyebrows in silent question, he shrugged - "He has a part o' th' map" - he admitted grudgingly, and finally - "The centre".

Elizabeth looked torn between amusement and... amusement. She wasn't torn, she was very amused. Hector made a face. She then turned serious.

"Why am I here? I can't lead you to Jack, I don't know where he is. The two of you left almost at the same time I haven't even known you weren't at the Pearl" - she said, her voice low and tired now.

Barbossa looked at her thoughtfully. She was right that there wasn't a lot of use for her now if she didn't know where Jack was. However, maybe the other part of the trio could be of help. Turner had shown himself a capable sailor and a clever man, able to outdo even Jack in his plots if something of what had happened with Jones had been planned independently of the other pirate. And given some of Jack's reactions, Hector would bet it was. However, Mr Turner was as missing as Jack since they had finished their supply run.

He had, contrary to Jack, a big ship with him. And maybe, he thought, looking to the lass, a reason to return to Tortuga if word of what had happened to his former fiancee reached him. It was a long shot, but Hector had nothing else to go for now. He just needed to make a good deal with the girl. If he was right about her desperate situation, maybe it could be a fun one.

* * *

Elizabeth walked the deck of the Pearl lost in her thoughts while the sailors walked around her busy with their work, but still keeping a curious and wary eye on her.

Elizabeth didn't pay attention to them, consciously, but the part of her that couldn't put aside the happenings of the past night flinched every time one of them strayed too close - _within grabbing distance_ \- to her.

And still, she was considering staying at the ship with all those dirty, ignorant, _violent_ men. To accept Barbossa's proposal.

Elizabeth wasn't naive. And if there were any innocence left on her it had been ripped away the previous night. She knew that Barbossa's offer hadn't been made for her benefit. And that, while the pirate hadn't spelt out the full implications, he would expect for her to stay at her cabin and his bed. His words had been clear ' _...to be his woman, and grant her his protection..._ '. He would expect for her to be at his beck and call in exchange for he being the _only one_ who would touch her.

What choice did she have? She had hoped that with Will's presence and his protection she could go back to Port Royal and take back what she could of her father's inheritance. But without Will, how could she return to that place where they had been accused of treason? Even if the charges had been dropped, what had happened to her family's house? To her father's possessions? Would anyone vouch for her? Was anyone left of the servants? Of her father's officers or people? Elizabeth didn't even know their names or what could have happened to them with her and her father gone.

And without her father's fortune, what did she have? She had been educated as a lady, she knew history, music, a few languages - a bit of them, she hadn't been good at them, she knew how to manage a house, led servants and prepare a party. In conclusion, she had been groomed to be the wife of a diplomat. The life her father had wanted for her, safely married to a man like Norrington who was. before Jack crossed all their paths, well in his way to becoming a powerful man.

But Norrington was dead, as was her father. Whatever dreams her father had for her were long gone with his demise at Turner Senior's hands. Elizabeth couldn't even be angry with Bill Turner, he had been a tool of Jones the same as the rest of them.

Those pipe dreams didn't help her in her current situation. It was a way to avoid thinking about what Barbossa offered to her. Did she want to stay the _whore_ of the old pirate? Because she couldn't lie herself, she would be exchanging her body for safety. Barbossa wouldn't respect her, or be faithful to her - not that she wanted him to - wouldn't pay attention to what she wanted, to her happiness or dreams. He only wanted her presence at the ship - for some reason he believed that would attract Jack's attention - and her body in his bed.

And what did she get from that deal? A few months of safety until Barbossa found Jack or he get bored of her? In exchange for ruining what was left of her reputation? Was any of her reputation left? And what would happen when he was done with her? Would he leave her at the first port they reached? Sell her into a brothel, already broken as she was? Throw her overboard?

It was clear to Elizabeth that, if she entered that deal with the pirate captain, that she needed to make sure she ended it in her terms. Would she have the power to do it? Could she grasp enough power back to do this?

Was she even considering entering that devil deal with Barbossa? The sanest part of her mind rebelled at what she was thinking. Or maybe it was the most naive. Did she really have a choice? Would Barbossa accept a negative from her or would he take her regardless but keeping her chained in that case? He would have most of the same benefits he wanted with her agreement - her presence at the ship and in his bed - and would only need to overpower her.

Elizabeth closed her eyes in despair. Her mind rebelling what she already knew was inevitable. For a brief instant, she wondered what Will would think of her now. Would he be as repelled by her choice of bedding Barbossa as he had been by her tricking Jack to his death?

Did she care? He had abandoned her. Granted, he had thought she wanted Jack and that she had Norrington to fall back on, and he had considered her actions a betrayal to him and to the friend he counted Jack as. No matter that the pirate hadn't returned that loyalty back. Elizabeth hadn't missed the pained gaze Will had sent to the pirate when he dismissed his presence at the Locker and grouped him with the rest of them who had betrayed him.

Elizabeth found to her surprise that she still _cared_ about Will's opinion and wished he would forgive her. That she still _loved_ him and wanted him back to her side. Regardless of her rationalisation, she could admit, if only to herself, that she had been wavering between the two men during their quest against Beckett. She had kissed Jack to trick him into staying yes, but she could have used another method to distract him. She had _chosen_ to kiss him because she wanted to. But it had been while they were kissing that she had realised what a mistake that had been. Jack had left her cold, and she had noticed that he didn't feel any attraction towards her, at all.

But her discovery has arrived too late. Will had seen her, seen _them_ , and reached his own conclusions. He had believed she didn't want him but Jack and he had felt Jack had betrayed their friendship. Despite his belief, he hadn't confronted her. He had relentlessly pushed to save Jack, despite thinking he had lost her to him and that he had betrayed him also. That was the kind of man Will was: loyal, kind and fair. He had believed that Jack had died unfairly and that Elizabeth and he wanted each other and risked his life to save him and reunited them, even if it cost him his life and believing that it would cost him Elizabeth.

Elizabeth blinked back the few - useless - tears she had shed. It was too late now for her and Will, wasn't it? Will had left with his ship and his father, and who knows where he was planning to go and do. He didn't think Elizabeth loved him any longer, or probably he didn't think she had ever loved him at all.

But maybe... maybe Elizabeth could win him back. She had managed to make him fall in love once, couldn't she win him again? But would he want her after what happened the previous night? If she willingly stayed with Barbossa? He had counted her kissing Jack a betrayal. Elizabeth didn't think he would hold her - rape - against her, would he count Barbossa as another rape? Would he realise she didn't have any other choice?

Elizabeth didn't know.

* * *

Elizabeth entered the captain cabin with as firm a step as she could. She didn't want the old pirate to sense her fear or her doubts. She most definitely didn't want for him to figure out her plans.

Barbossa looked up to her with his yellow smile, sitting back at his desk in a calm posse. He watched her without hiding the desire in his gaze. Elizabeth realised that, despite his brutish appearance and rude manners, the old pirate was marginally better educated than the average cutthroat. He had been treating her as much as a lady as an old reprobate as he knew how to.

He waved her toward the chair in front of him with a negligent gesture.

"Welcome again Miss Swann. I hope that your presence here means that ye 'ave reached a decision?" - he asked, straight to the point.

Elizabeth forced herself to stay calm and composed, sitting on the chair as royal as a lady and interlacing her fingers on her lap to keep them from trembling and giving her away.

"Good evening, Captain Barbossa. Thank you for receiving me. I have been thinking long and hard about your proposal and I am ready to give you my answer" - she said, her voice, manner and words as educated as they would be if she was talking to a lord.

Barbossa smiled more broadly at her attitude, clearly enjoying her game. He waited patiently for her words, his smile never wavering although it didn't reach his eyes.

"I will stay in the Pearl to look for Jack and Will" - Elizabeth stated, calmer than she felt.

Barbossa let out an incredulous but delighted laugh at her answer.

"Mighty well, lass. I be glad ye 'ave decided t' join us. But who did say anythin' about Turner's lad? I don't wants fer ye t' get a disappointment lassie, that ship seems t' 'ave sailed already" - Barbossa observed, taking a glass from the table - wine it seemed - and toast her with it before drinking it in a go.

Elizabeth let a wry smile slip her lips.

"Jack doesn't care what happens to me. I know you are hoping that he and Will will cross paths eventually and that Will is with him when they hear about the Pearl and my presence here. You are hoping that Will still feels something about me, or that he will be noble enough to save me regardless of his feelings and that he will drag Jack with him" - Elizabeth said firmly.

Barbossa didn't lose the smile, but he stopped his laughter while he observed her, a hint of cruelty appearing in his eyes.

"What makes you think that your boy will want you? Spoiled as you are now and more than you will be?" - he asked cruelly, his meaning clearer that it had been the night before. Elizabeth didn't let him intimidate her.

"Do you mean, will he want me once he knows I have been both raped and slept with you willingly? - in a manner, as I don't have a choice" - she amended purposely, trying to show her disgust and defiance, as much as she had left.

"Oh, don't lie yourself. You 'ave many choices left, you jus' don't wants t' use them. Ye could jump o'erboard 'n reach th' town. Ye could find an honest work 'n worn yourself down 'til ye wish fer death. Don't lie yourself lassie, I shall even give you th' chance now. Leave this ship here 'n now 'n I shall let you go" - he taunted.

Elizabeth tensed in her chair, her heart wildly beating in her chest. Was he telling the truth? Could she leave the Pearl now?

Yes, she realised. He was as cruel as that and Elizabeth's hate turned even darker at the knowledge. Barbossa wanted not only to destroy her, but he wanted for her to willingly walk into that destruction. He wouldn't allow her to lie and set herself a victim.

Elizabeth rose from her seat and looked down to the pirate, her anger, pride and fear at war inside. Barbossa looked up to her, his expression hiding any hint of his thoughts. If he believed she was going to leave, he seemed to stand by his word and leave her to escape.

Elizabeth then walked to Barbossa, placing her hand on his shoulder and after a moment of panic at the nearness, she boldly sat on his lap placing her arms around his neck.

"You got yourself a deal Captain" - she said trying to keep her voice from trembling - "Call me Liv" - she added, deciding to shed the last part of her former self for now. Elizabeth Swann wouldn't willingly give herself to a pirate, but Liv would choose to live and maybe she could meet Will again.

Barbossa's savage grin wasn't reassuring and Elizabeth - Liv - had to repress her fear and disgust when he brought her face to his and kissed her in the mouth.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There is mention of rape and the afternath of it, so be very careful if this will be uncomfortable to read. Also, Barbossa is a pirate, so Elizabeth’s deal with him is at the very least coercion. I do count it as another kind of rape, so be warned.


	9. New horizonts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Jack finally are ready to depart after a last incursion in Melee. The world is ahead! as Gandalf would say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part of this arch. I am working in the next one but I will need a few weeks until I am comfortable with starting publishing. Thank you all for the interest, kudos and comments! I am glad this got a bit of interest from you, I knew it was quite a weird crossover so I was happy to see there were other people out there who liked it.
> 
> This is now part of two series, "The Pirate Lord and the Forest Prince" will have the second part in a few weeks, I may use the other one for a different crossover in the future. Subscribe to the second one if you want to have a warning for the next part!
> 
> This work in unbetaed as usual, so feel free to point any mistakes.

While Jack entered Scum Bar again following the lad inside he wasn't surprised by the attention they draw. Quite a few wenches - and lads - followed with their eyes his companion's form walking to one of the tables and taking a seat there.

A few of them looked at Jack too, probably wondering who he was and what he was doing with Will. As a newly arrived Captain of a vessel such as the Dutchman, and with the tale of their adventures probably making the rounds already, Will was an object of interest, desire and quite a bit of envy. Jack - taking a seat next to Will - fingered the daggers that the smith had given him before leaving the ship and that he had strapped to his forearms.

They were something else. If Jack hadn't known the skill of Will as a smith, he would have thought they were part of Jones' treasure. As it was, they clearly had something to do with Will's returning memories. The style and writing were foreign and similar to some of the scribbling Will had used in his map and identified as elven languages.

A busty blond waitress came to their table for their order. Jack asked for some of that strange drink they seemed so fond of that seemed like a watered rum but not exactly. Will asked for the same while he studied the people around them with sharp eyes. He nodded in some directions to the pirates he had known from his previous visits and kept an eye on everyone around.

Jack leaned back against the chair, looking around the room with his usual relaxed and cocky attitude. He didn't see any outright threat around them but he wasn't going to trust a room full of scumbags like that one. Placing an arm around the back of Will's chair he whispered on the other's ear.

"Are you certain that you want any more o' those scallywags in your ship? I would say you already 'ave picked up th' best here" - Jack questioned looking around them. The dirty, cranky, repulsive-looking men he saw around them confirmed his theory. Will had a pretty good eye from what he had seen around the Dutchman. None of those men would ever be allowed to serve in an army ship, but they looked half-way clean - clean-ish - amenable to follow orders and organization and Jack even had spotted a few who knew how to read some.

Certainly, no one around here looked like they could stop drinking enough to follow an order. Will nodded agreeably but answered.

"I would like to get a few more sailors if possible. I would feel better if we had some spare hands in the case of an emergency, maybe even someone with some other talent for healing, as we are going to be crossing the Atlantic. Also, it would help to make the shift shorter and that will help with the moral in the longest stretch of the journey. The ship is big enough to fit both crew and the extra supplies needed" - Will explained easily, his blue eyes fixed in one of the gaming tables studying the men there.

Before Jack could comment on that, the blonde wench arrived back to their table with the two tankards in hand.

"Here ye go, sweetie. Can I get ye somethin' else?" - the girl asked all honey-voiced. Jack looked up to her - and he couldn't be blamed for where his eyes fell to, given the position and size - and gave her his best smile despite he knew the question had been addressed to Will.

"My lad, William here be lookin' fer a few more useful hands. I be sure that ye could give us an idea o' who o' those are th' less wastrels?" - Jack asked with a winning smile while moving the arm he had over Will's chair to be over his shoulders and slipping a silver coin with a sleight of hand, into the table next to the serving girl.

Will looked at him sideways before returning his curious gaze to the lass. The waitress seemed surprised by Jack asking for her opinion and turned her gaze to the same table Will had been looking to.

"Ye 'ave a good eye. Teddy 'n Gunter are prolly th' cleanest here. They don't waste all thar doubloons in grog or waste all thar time pickin' up fights. Thar last ship was loot down two minths ago by th' Navy 'n they washed down here" - the girl said thoughtfully. Will returned his focus to her after giving an impassioned look to the gambling men.

"If they are that 'good'" - he said sceptically - "Why haven't they been picked up for a crew?" - Will asked.

The lass shrugged her shoulders philosophically. But a different voice interrupted them.

"They 'ave been suspected o' scuttlin' thar former cap'n" - Jack turned to the left a bit to face one of the other serving wenches walking up to them. A slim redhead, or maybe reddish-blonde, this one seemed a bit younger and fresher. Actually, to Jack's discerning eye may be a bit _too_ young, Jack would give up his rum if this girl was much older than fifteen. He sensed Will tense at his side when he turned to face the girl and given the way his face visibly softened Jack was almost certain that they would end the night doing something foolish.

Jack sighed resignedly and saw Will's amused smile, the other man patting his leg in consolation before he spoke to the girl with a kind smile. His voice was soft and the cadence of it soothing. The girl reacted immediately to the young Captain, coming closer to their table until she was almost in their laps, her eyes looking fascinated into Will's beautiful face. Probably he was unlike any men she had ever seen.

Unlucky for her, he was already Jack's.

"What is your name?" - Will asked kindly. She got closer to them and rested against the table, all the flirting and posing she had been probably taught by her fellow waitress, forgotten when getting her first look at Will's face.

"Jessie" - she said shyly. Will nodded seriously, turning to the other waitress next to them.

"Jessie, Jessica I gather then. How is that she came to work here? I am sorry ma'am I didn't ask your name" - Will apologized to the older girl while keeping an eye on the younger ones and the rest of the room.

"I be Lissy. 'n Jessie's mother was scuttled by th' plague. She be younger than th' owner usually hires. That young they attract trouble ye know? They dunno how t' handle it. But th' poppet be alone 'n her mom was one o' th' girls here, so he took her in" - the older girl said, loosing her own posse at Will's honest interest and polite demeanour. Jack was positive that Will could get any of the girls to go with him right now, no charge. The younger, despite her age, had - probably - already been 'used' - and probably wouldn't have enjoyed it given the kind of partners she would find here - but she had the good taste and sense to realize that Will would be a good choice for her.

But of course, that wasn't what the younger man was thinking.

"I don't imagine that a port like this has a lot of work for a girl of this age. But there are a few shops in the town, wouldn't work at one of those would be less... dangerous than this bar? Couldn't someone take her in?" - he asked, shaking his head disconcerted.

Jack wondered at the boy again. Most of the time he was strong and capable, but at times like this one when he had to confront human depravity and evilness... he was the same green boy he had met at Port Royal.

The young redhead decided to make her move and close her distance to them setting herself on Will's lap without hesitation. Given Jack's position surrounding Will's shoulders with his arm, that he hadn't withdrawn during the discussion, she was almost in both of their laps. Will looked down to her, placing his hands on the girl's hip to keep her still.

"I can go wit' ye if ye wish 'n tell ye whatever ye wants" - she offered, her voice turning sultry and what she had been taught was seductive. Jack was already regretting what he knew his partner would say. He wouldn't look for such a young partner by himself, but this girl had experience already and she was here, offering herself... He looked around the room to make sure they weren't going to be interrupted by anyone. Some of the regulars got possessive at times of the girls, but everyone was still having their own fun, still too early in the evening to worry about wenches before drinking. He turned back to the girl and Will. The young man was trying to let down the girl gently.

"I know you would. But I don't take partners who don't have a choice. And you are certainly too young to give consent" - Will said firmly, his hands on the girl's hip already lifting her from his lap. The girl, however, wasn't going to give up such a price easily and she threw her arms around Will's neck to stay next to him changing tactics while she tried to convince him.

"I know all th' men here, I can tell ye how they really are if ye loot me wit' ye. Promise me ye will loot me wit' ye 'n I shall do whatever ye wants" - the girl said quickly and quietly in Will's ear. Jack hear her by virtue of being plastered at Will's side.

And he felt something shift inside him. He could be this girl. He _had been_ this girl at some points. Whoring himself out to get out of towns he didn't want to be anymore. Looking for someone who seemed to be strong enough to protect him but not too brutish that he would kill him before they reached the next port. If he had met someone like Will: clean, polite, skilled, capable and a ship Captain when he was young as this girl, he would have latched onto him too and done everything he could to stay with him.

He looked closely at the girl, studying her features in a more detached manner. She had red-blonde hair and dark eyes as he had observed earlier, and the tone of her skin - lighter than Jack's but darker than Will's - hinted to maybe a bit of mixed heritage. Maybe some native mix.

Jack allowed himself a minute to a fantasy of what he would have done with Will if he had met him at that age. He would have truly become his cabin boy, and the noble man would have probably avoided touching him inappropriately until a time when Jack would seduce him. They could have been sailing the Seas for years and as Will would never grow old, at some point they would be at the same point they were right now.

Curious, that in his fantasy they stayed together all those _years_.

Jack returned to the matter at hand and the girl with them and placed his other arm around Will - and in consequence around the girl - he said to Will's ear.

"Let's keep her. You said you wanted someone wit' some nursin' talent. I bet you, you will find none in those rough idiots. This lass won't be squeamish 'n 'twill be a better sight than any o' that mugs thar" - Jack said persuasively.

Will and the girl turned to him then. The youngest looked between them speculatively, already experienced enough to figure out what was their relationship.

And already jaded enough not to care. She sent a flirtatious smile his way although Jack noticed it had less heat than the ones he had sent to Will and that she didn't leave the boy's lap.

"I shall loot care o' ye both. I be good wit' that too" - she said quickly, her hand going to Jack's leg and into his lap. She smiled again when she noticed his interest and the two of them looked back to Will.

The young Captain didn't look as scandalized as Jack had expected - maybe those elves were more adventurous than Jack had thought, although if they lived as long as Will had claimed they would probably need to spice things a bit from time to time. He honestly looked more bothered by the idea of bedding a young girl than for the implication of sharing her with Jack.

"If you leave her here, that won't save her from pervert ole men. At least, if she comes wit' us, you will know she will be safe wit' you" - Jack argued. The girl stayed silent, probably sensing that Jack was on her side and that he knew his companion better to make a more convincing argument.

"That is the thing, Jack. I am planning on a long journey. Very far away from here, to look for my people. To places completely unlike anything she knows or is familiar to her. She may not be the safest here, but at least this is a place she knows and even with her mother dead, don't you have any other family? Father? Grandparents? Siblings?" - he asked the girl in his lap.

Surprisingly, the girl shifted in Will's lap, uncomfortable for the first time. Will looked down to her worriedly but waited patiently for her choosing to trust them or not. The girl seemed to take a bit of courage from Will's patient and nonjudgmental attitude and started to talk again, her voice losing the flirty edge again, as it did when she forgot her 'training'.

"I dunno who me dad was, it could be someone in this room fer sure" - the girl admitted unashamedly and at both Will's and Jack's lack of negative reaction, she continued more surely - "I dunno o' any grands either but... I 'ave a wee brother" - she admitted.

"And were you going to leave him here? Is he in a better place than you?" - Will asked her softly although Jack sensed his tension on the shoulders he was still hugging.

"He be here too. He works at th' kitchens... 'n around here too. I was plannin' t' brin' 'im 'n hide 'im aboard" - she admitted quietly, lowering her eyes.

"Around here?" - Will asked, alarmed, more worried about the young boy than about the confession that the girl was planning to store a stowaway in his ship. The girl sensed her victory and answered reassuringly.

"He should be at the kitchens now, he shouldn't be out until later to work the tables" - she said. Will and Jack shared a look of shared understanding.

And the girl had said _younger_ brother.

Will rose from his seat a bit abruptly, his arms around the girl stabilizing her. He placed her safely under his right arm and offered his hand to Jack to help him up. Jack rose after him and looked again around the room to make sure they weren't going to get into a fight. Despite his irritation, Will's movement had been as smooth and graceful as usual and most of the regulars were still too worried about their games - and drinks - to care about what they were doing.

Will talked to the girl again.

"Who is your..." - Will started to ask, probably looking for the right word. Luckily the girl was sharp and understood him quickly.

"Back thar, name be Ed Teach, he will be th' one wit' th' blue coat" - Jessie said, her voice a bit nervous now. Will smiled at her reassuring and walked to the back of the bar while asking her again.

"And your brother too is in this man... possession?"- he asked delicately. The girl nodded in response.

The three of them entered the slightly more private zone and saw a few pirates there. They looked older and more accomplished than the ones in the main room. Their clothes were richer or at least more ostentatious. Jack stayed at Will's back, guarding him against any attack and Will's sharp eyes explored the room before walking to one of the small tables where a man in a blue coat was busily drinking from his mug.

When they reached the table, Will cleared his throat politely and the pirate rose his eyes, looking at them barely looking at the girl.

"Aye? If ye be lookin' fer a cabin, ole Tom best be at aft" - the man said bored, already turning back to his mug. Will cleared his throat again and placed two gold coins in the table. Jack saw the older pirate's attention to quickly focus on them, this time really giving them his attention.

"Wha' be that?" - he asked, his hands already reaching for the gold. Will picked up the coins again like he was playing a sleight of hand.

"That is my deal. You can take it and we will leave here with Jessie and her brother. Or you can reject it and we will leave with them... eventually" - Will said, his tone dark without hiding the disgust he felt for the man. The older pirate looked up, apparently ready to make an issue of what they had said.

But something in Will's eyes stopped him. With Jack at his back, he couldn't see the expression in his companion's eyes, but he had seen some of it over the last few days and he could already guess the older man's reaction. Will’s serious and angered look wasn't something that a normal man could stand for long. Jack had seen a few hardened pirates shedding tears before quickly averting their gazes at that look.

The older pirate wasn't any different. He quickly looked down to his mug again, his whole body tense like he was expecting a blow and nodded to Will, muttering his agreement into the mug. Will looked down to the surprised girl and said.

"Go, get your brother and your things quickly. Return here. Once the two of you are back I will give this... gentleman his gold and we will leave" - Will said, giving the man a warning look - "Make certain that you take anything you don't want to leave behind. You won't return here" - Will warned.

The girl took off quickly for one of the side doors and the three of them waited in tense silence. Jack could feel a cold sweat going down his back the more time went until the girl returned. Any minute now, any of the pirates could try to challenge their claim or try to take Will's gold by force and they would be forced to fight.

Finally, the girl returned, a young boy with her. Jack felt another uncomfortable shiver down his back. _This_ boy could have been him. Dark hair and eyes, darkish skin, he was mayb a half-brother of the girl, both of them favouring their fathers more than their common mother.

He looked ten at most. Jack truly hoped that he hadn't gone farther than a grope when he was 'working' the tables. Will clearly was thinking the same, and he looked ready to kill the blue-coat pirate here and there. Jack placed a calming hand on his back and whispered to his ear.

"We wants them out o' here safely. As much as I enjoy a good fight, let's leave it for when we don't 'ave th' sprogs around" - he said quickly. He felt Will's chest expanding while he tried to repress his anger and he nodded in Jack's direction gratefully.

He smiled down to the children, his looks already fascinating the young boy too who looked up to him in awe, despite his general suspicious demeanour. Will placed the two gold coins on the table, making eye-contact with the other pirates in the room and say.

"Two golden coins for those children and their belongings" - he said, giving a dubious look to the small sack in the girls' hands - "We will leave now. They won't return again to your dubious care" - Will said shortly, the older pirate rushed to nod in agreement and so did some of the other witnesses intimidated under Will's gaze.

Will nodded and waved the children before them.

"Let's go then" - he said simply. They left the tavern unchallenged.

Jack wondered what they had gotten into.

* * *

Will looked down to the resting form of the children in his bed before drawing the small curtain he had installed around it. Now he had Jack sharing the space with him and given he had less need of sleep than his partner, he had installed the separation to give his partner the chance to sleep in.

He walked back to his desk where Jack was broodingly looking down to one of the maps on the table. He looked to the man with honest curiosity. When he had pushed for them to take the girl back, Will had initially thought that Jack wanted to share her between them. Will had found the concept more than a bit repulsive on many levels. Not only the girl was far too young, even by human's standards. She was _forced_ to offer her body to the customers to 'earn' her kept at the bar.

As Will Turner, he had never considered hiring a prostitute knowing even when younger the kind of lives they lived. As _Legolas..._ , well the concept never had even crossed his mind. His people - unlike what Gimli had accused him in the past - had no problem with any kind of sexual experimentation, the combination of partners or no partners at all. It was all perfectly acceptable as long as the participants were all aware and consenting.

But elves found it difficult to accept sex as a profession. It was unsafe, almost every time born out of a desperate need to survive and often done under pressure and with someone else taking advantage.

So yes, Will had been ready to say no when he had looked at Jack's expression. The pirate had looked... protective. And that wasn't a look Will had been expecting after the girl's offer of 'taking care of both of them'. Also, his arguments had been about the girl's safety and not the use they could get from her, which could mean he knew Will well enough to use what he knew would be effective.

But he looked honest about his concern for the girl and his wish to take her out of that situation.

Now they were back at the ship and with both children sleeping at Will's - and Jack's now - bed, Will turned to his partner with curiosity.

"They seem to be nice kids. Clever and brave" - Will commented evenly to the room without looking to Jack, the pirate answered with a noncommittal grunt. Will went to the desk and took a seat, looking for his list of supplies.

If they were going to take children with them, he would need to update the list of what they needed. He found the paper and took a moment to think. He didn't have a lot of knowledge about mortal children except for what he had seen with Estel and his children, but their elven blood set them apart. His own infancy as Will hadn't been, he suspected, very normal either. He hadn't gotten sick, not even at the worst of his 'mother's' last months when he had almost starved. Not during his first sea voyage where other passengers had suffered at the lack of fresh produce.

Will suspected that despite his external appearance - and he was still unclear of the reason why he had looked human - he hadn't _been_ human.

"Wha' are you doin' now? I thought we had been through that list far too many times already..." - Jack asked finally.

Will shrugged in response.

"We are going to have two very young children aboard now. And one of them is a girl, I don't have to explain to you how this may warrant a few different things?" - Will asked pointedly.

Jack made a horrified face at the concept and Will had to repress a smile at his reaction. The old pirate could brag up and down about sleeping his way around every port and charm every woman from ladies to whores into giving up what he wanted from them.

But made the least bit insinuation about a woman... personal cycle and he got as flustered as a child. Will wasn't surprised. He had found that attitude among many mortal races, particularly those which made a point to separate women and men in almost everything except in the marriage bed. There was a certain... belief among men in particular which seemed to think it was contagious.

He wrote a few things in the list and made a note to ask Jessie about her input. He expected that, with the life she had gone through, the young girl would hopefully be practical about it. If not, he would need to find someone who would be willing to help. Will wasn't going to sail without everything he needed for every person in his crew.

Which left him with another problem. What position was he supposed to give those children? And he needed to give them some kind of official work, one which hopefully would keep them both busy enough to avoid problems and the crew away from them. Particularly in Jessie's case, he didn't want any misunderstanding.

Jack, who had been walking around the room aimlessly, wandered back to Will's side leaning against Will's chair to peer into the paper again in curiosity.

"You seem t' have increased th' amount o' vegg's much more than needed for only two more crew" - Jack observed leaning further in Will's space. Will moved back from the desk and made to rise but Jack took advantage of the space and sat down in his lap. Will let out a huff at the movement but surrendered to Jack's whims - as usual - and placed his hands in his hip and his chin in the older man's shoulder.

"Vegetables and fresh produce are good for children. They are good for everyone actually, but in children, they needed for their growing process" - Will explained and added - "Also, I have little hope of convincing those old pirates out there of eating better, but I hope to have a bit more of a chance with these two" - he admitted.

Jack let out a hum in response, his manner distracted. He had been even more scattered than usual since he pushed for Jessie's case in the bar and Will was starting to get worried. His manner reminded him of how Jack had behaved when they first found him at the Locked. Like he wasn't fully in the present with the rest of them.

With Will.

That thought made him hug the body in his lap a bit harder than he had planned and Jack made a complaining noise. Will apologised immediately and released him from his arms. Jack complained, bringing Will's arms around him again.

"Don't. I like it. It grounds me" - Jack asked. Will noticed that when it was only the two of them, now they were intimate, Jack sometimes slipped into a less coarse speech.

He kissed the neck near his mouth in apology before he spoke up again and dared to ask what had been in his mind for a while.

"Why are you so worried about those children?" - he asked softly. Jack stiffened in his arms but didn't move and Will stayed in silence waiting to see if he would give him an answer.

"They are me" - Jack admitted simply. Will tried to puzzle the answer, surprised. He had noticed Billy's likeness to Jack. Not as much as he would be immediately named as his son, but that the two of them could pass as father and son without being challenged.

However, Will hadn't thought that Jack would be that sentimental, and he had insisted on taking _Jessie_ with them before they had even known about her brother.

So that meant that Jessie had been the one who had reminded Jack of himself in the first place. Which didn't make any sense at a first glance. What a thirty-something pirate had in common with a fifteen-year-old whore?

Will felt his mind going blank for a moment when the answer flashed into his mind. Will hadn't asked Jack about his childhood before but he was starting to form a certain black image of it. He wondered if he would be willing to share something about it now.

"Jessie seems like a nice girl. Really sharp and with her feet firmly placed in the ground" - Will said softly, testing the waters. With Jack, it was difficult to guess how he would answer a question of his past. Most of the time, he flatly ignored them or diverted the attention to something else. Other times he spinned some wonderful tales of dragons and princesses and a wild pirate.

Will had heard that, during the battle, Jack's father - Edward Teague apparently - had been one of the Pirate Lords who had fought against Beckett's fleet. Will didn't know anything about the older man beside his affiliation with Jack, but Will figured that _paternal_ wasn't probably an adjective which could be used with him.

"She is strong. She can become a pirate if she wishes. We should introduce her t' Annamaria" - Jack mussed out loud. Will remembered the strong pirate he had met when they were first trying to rescue Elizabeth. She would probably be a good mentor for a girl like Jessie, probably able to connect with her in ways they as males couldn't. However, Will didn't know where the woman had drifted to after leaving with Jack in the Pearl. She hadn't been with Jack's crew when they met again.

"Probably so. Or anything else she wants. We should probably ask her what are her plans for the future once she awakes" - Will observed. He wasn't sold on the pirate way and he wouldn't push young children into that path unless it was certain that it was the one they wanted. Jessie had a lot of life ahead of her and it wouldn't be easy if she decided to go the same way as Annamaria.

Jack made a strange, almost _wounded_ sound, but before Will could question what was wrong, he found himself with his mouth too busy to ask when Jack started to kiss him passionately. Jack's mouth moved on Will's with focus as usual, but Will could feel an edge of _something_ that he couldn't identify. He soothingly caressed the older pirate back and tresses, trying to show Jack his support and understanding. At the same time, he explored Jack's mouth, teasingly.

Jack finally let go a bit, drawing back and resting his forehead on Will, his dark eyes wide open but unfocused. Will stayed silent, letting Jack to his thoughts while he kept him safe in his arms. At last, Jack's eyes focused again and his dark eyes locked on Will's. He started to talk, his tone more serious than Will had ever heard of him.

"My dad wasn't mighty interested in havin' sprogs, as you could expect o' a pirate" - he stated to say. Will stayed silent, his hands still caressing Jack's dreadlocks - "My mother was a strumpet in some o' th' towns he frequented. He wasn't jus' wit' her o' course, neither she wit' 'im. But he got hurt one day, durin' one o' his 'operations''" - Jack continued - "He was a cap'n already, and a good one. He had some doubloons around. So he ordered his second t' use th' time t' repair th' ship and find some new crew - the operation had killed quite a few o' them - 'n stayed at one o' th' taverns t' recover" - he explained. Will nodded his understanding.

"And your mother stayed with him?" - he asked delicately. Jack snorted in response.

"Probably not the only one. But I think she was one of the more frequent. She was very pretty at the time, and young" - he said. Will stayed silent, not knowing what to say. Jack didn't seem to need any questions to continue now he had started - "She got pregnant of course. And for some reason, maybe because he was hurt and had seen death so very close, Edward asked her to keep it" - Jack explained.

"That must have been difficult in her position. I am surprised she would accede to do it" - Will commented warily. Jack nodded in agreement.

"She wasn't convinced at all. I am told cap'n had t' give her doubloons for th' next year fer her t' accept. 'n he promised her that he would give her doubloons t' me keep too. So she accepted finally" - Jack said. Will felt his own cynicism to raise.

"And he kept his word?" - he asked sceptically. Jack's smile told him he had been right on the money with his doubts.

"O' course nah. Once he had recovered 'n he was back wit' his ship, he forgot all about whatever impulse he had felt when he was laid down 'n hurt. He went away 'n didn' return for nigh-on a year" - Jack snorted angrily, his dark eyes unfathomable. Will couldn't tell if he was angry with his father for his deception or with his mother for having believed him in the first place. Jack had little patience with those who lied to themselves - "Fortunately, me mom wasn't _that_ naive, 'n she had asked for th' year doubloons in advance, for all th' months she wouldna be able t' work bein' pregnant wit' me"

"So, by the time your father returned, you had already been born?" - Will asked. Jack nodded in response.

"I had. I was two months ole 'n bein' juggled around th' tavern t' be taken care by whoever was available. Me mom has returned t' work 'n wasn't expectin' a lot from dad anymore. Dad barely give me a second look at first, but he seemed t' believe that I was his so he claim me as his. That didn' mean a lot, but he came back from time t' time 'n when th' mood struck 'im, he sometimes loot me wit' 'im t' his ship when I was older" - Jack continued - "His interest in me depended usually on how close he had felt death lately" - he concluded.

Will stayed silent. He didn't know what to say, which was a common occurrence when hearing about Jack's worst experiences. The older pirate was usually so matter-of-fact about it that he didn't invite sympathy. He almost looked like he would shoot anyone who offered it actually. He kissed the neck next to his mouth and squeezed him around the waist, in the hope that his gestures would help more than his lost words. Jack seemed to understand his meaning because he threw one of his arms around Will's shoulders and rested against him.

At least Will now understood what Jack had seen on Jessie and Billy, and how it had affected him. Will couldn't save the child Jack had been, but he would protect the children he had chosen.

"Jessie and Billy will be safe with us. We will give them all the tools they will need to survive. They will choose their own paths" - Will vowed in a low voice.

Jack stayed silent in his arms, but the arm around Will's shoulder tightened in agreement.

* * *

"Why is Melee's Governor asking me for dinner?" - his son asked warily while looking down to the engraved invitation.

Bill heard Jack scrambling around the back of the room back to where they were in a hurry. Will didn't pay attention to the pirate antics, still looking to the flowery card in undisguised disconcert.

"Askin' ye fer dinner? Melee's Governor?" - Jack asked once he was at Will's side, looking down to the card in his hand in curiosity - "That's a pretty invitation. Is he married?" - Jack asked, taking the invitation out of Will's hands - "Elaine Marley... that name sounds familiar, is she th' wife?" - he asked thoughtfully. Will looked sideways at him before he answered.

"You haven't come this way before, have you Jack?" - at Jack's shrugging negative, he continued - "Ms Marley _is_ the Governor. She has been for a while, apparently, a very 'beloved' one if you can believe it" - Will continued with a pensive face - "I think she is married, but the reports on that are a bit confusing. Some say she is married to some LeChuck character - and whatever he is dead or not is even more confusing - and other say something about a fellow called..." - Will trailed off looking down to some notes he had spread at the table before he continued with an incredulous voice - "Guy Threep or something like that. I have at least a dozen different proposals for how this man is called. No one seems to be certain" - he said with a shake of his head - "Regardless, this still doesn't tell me why she would want to talk with me" - he concluded.

"She has prolly heard about wha' happened wit' th' Dutchman 'n wants t' know its cap'n?" - Bill proposed while Jack spoke at the same time.

"She wants you" - he said flatly - "Her husband is prolly a half-dead fellow without any teeth left 'n she had heard o' you 'n wants ye in her bed" - Jack concluded, leaning in Will's space to let the invitation on the table before turning the younger man's around and kissed him possessively.

Bill kept his eyes away from the two men, used by now to Jack's antics. Will was usually indulgent of his lover and his possessiveness.

And wasn't that a surprise? Bill hadn't known that Jack _could be_ possessive in the first place. Will spoke again interrupting Bill's musings.

"Rumour is that he is a pirate. And that it's a love match of some kind" - Will told calmly placing the invitation on his desk and turning back to Bill - "We don't want to have to escape here if we can avoid it" - he said sitting down and taking out a parchment and a quill, quickly penning a response and sealing it with some wax and pressing a carved seal he had in one drawer. He passed the note to Bill saying - "Send this back, we will be there" - he announced calmly.

"We?" - Jack asked hopefully while Bill looked down to the seal. It looked some form of a tree inside a shield.

"If you think you can behave. I am curious to meet these people, and I would prefer to leave this Island in our own time and not be forced to run away from the authorities" - Will said calmly. Bill heard some hush conversation and indistinguishable noises but he kept his gaze firmly focused on the letter in his hands. He didn't raise his gaze until Jack left the room, he met then his son's amused eyes.

"Keep an eye on the children, will you? They aren't comfortable with the crew yet, and I am not certain that my warnings will be very effective with some of them" - Will admitted while raising from the chair and walking back to the window, looking out pensively.

The children. That had been another surprise when Jack and Will returned from their recruiting mission short of a new _adult_ crew but with a young woman and an even younger boy in tow. That looked like a serious problem brewing for Bill, but Will - and surprisingly Jack - had stayed firm in his decision to keep the children with them. He had me with the crew and had a few words with them, being very clear: anyone who put a hand on _any_ of the children would be punished accordingly and then pushed overboard. No matter how far away they were from the land.

Even with that threat, some of the lowlifes had been looking at the girl with greedy eyes. She had been staying at the cabin next to the captain with her brother and Will had been teaching her how to treat wounds of all things when he had the time with all the last-minute work that needed to be done for them to sail. It all seemed to Bill like too much trouble but it was clear that Will wanted to help the orphans and he wasn't going to be convinced otherwise.

He nodded warily to his son in response to his order.

"I will keep them on sigh" - he accepted before he added - "But you are aware that sooner or later one of them is going to try something. Particularly with the girl" - he warned. Will surprisingly smiled in response.

"I am aware. Hopefully, she will start to become useful before that, there is little that will deter some of those men, but maybe the awareness that she is going to be responsible of the treatment of their injuries will give them a pause" - he mused out loud - "If not, Jack and I have been training her - them - how to defend themselves. We'll see what happens" - he concluded with a shrug. Bill thought he was putting a lot of trust in some girls abilities but he said nothing, nodding to him and raising the letter still in his hand.

"I will send a boy with this response" - he said, nodding to Will and walking away.

Will waved him away, his focus already turning to one of the maps on the wall.

* * *

Jack entered the mansion behind Will, looking around the hall with curiosity. From outside, the house looked like many other governors' mansions around the Caribbean. Jack hadn't seen a lot of them from _inside_ , and if this one was average he was surprised that they hadn't been robbed blind more often. Particularly this one, as Melee was a well known pirate port.

Walking down the stairs, he saw what he was certain was their host and he wondered if Will and he were doomed to cross paths with every beautiful, unconventional woman in the Caribbean.

Governor Marley was... stunning. Dressed in a masculine fashion still, no one could mistake her for being a man. Rich red curly hair falling down her shoulders, bright green eyes and delicate features. She walked up to them stopping just before Will and looked between the two of them, clearly trying to decide whom to address her welcome.

Will, gentlemanly helped her, introducing himself with a palm to his chest making a brief bow.

"Madam Marley?" - he asked politely although he, like Jack, had probably deduced her identity already. Marley turned gratefully to him.

"Mr Turner? I am Elaine Marley, Governor of Melee" - she said looking approvingly at Will's bow. She was probably used to men trying to put her down or seduce her. Will's polite bow, bypassing the question of kissing her hand or not, had clearly pleased her.

"Pleasure to meet you, Madam Governor. I am Will Turner and this is my partner Jack Sparrow" - he introduced Jack. Jack smiled to the woman charmingly imitating Will's bow with - if he said himself - passable grace. The woman at least looked charmed with both of them.

"Oh! Elaine! I didn't know we had guests" - another voice said from one of the side doors. Jack and Will turned in that direction and Jack saw a man looking surprised at the three of them.

He was tall and very slim, with blonde hair tied back in a pony-tail. His eyes were clear blue in a long face with a ridiculous chin beard. He was passingly attractive but looking a bit bumbling to Jack's eyes. Marley turned in his direction, her expression irritated with a bit of fondness mixed.

"Oh, Guybrush! I told you yesterday that I was inviting the Captain of the Dutchman. Have you been arguing with those pirates on the beach again?" - she asked him warningly, walking to the man's side and looking him up and down to his muddled clothes. The man looked sheepishly back.

"Maybe? I mean, I wasn't arguing! I was just telling them..." - he trailed off at his wife's warning look and turned back to them with the attempt of a confident smile. He looked to Jack with curiosity but his gaze went first wide and then with the beginnings of jealousy when he saw Will.

Will, however, politely ignored the look and offered his hand to the other man with a smile.

"I am Will Turner and this is my partner Jack Sparrow" - he introduced them with politeness. The blonde took Will's hand automatically, answering to the polite greeting.

"I am Guybrush Treepwood, famous pirate" - he said a bit boastfully. He took Will's hand and then Jack looking between the two of them with distrust. He didn't look like he could choose between his jealousy of Will's obvious good looks or Jack's clear appearance as a pirate. He was clearly trying to look like a tough pirate and falling a bit short. He tried for a condescending attitude instead.

"Well, I am sure you have heard of me. I am afraid I don't know any of you, however. I hope you aren't trying to trick my wife with any guile" - he said pompously. His wife looked ready to murder him.

Will looked blank at the introduction, clearly to Jack's eyes, he didn't recognize the name - neither did Jack for what it mattered - but he was too polite to say so. He had

"Pleasure to meet you, I am sure. Your wife's invitation didn't mention your name so we didn't know you would be here. I apologize if our visit was unexpected" - Will continued.

Jack was almost feeling sorry for the other man. Will's polished manners and courtly attitude were impossible to take umbrage, however, his very attitude in contrast with Treepwood's unrefined one made him look bad by comparison. Marley tried to recover control of the situation.

"Guybrush! I invited them here! You can't be this rude! I will remind you that I am the Governor here and I decide who is welcome in my home" - Marley said dangerously, she took her husband's hand and seeing a man entering the room, told them - "My husband needs to refresh himself. Please, follow my butler to the dining room and take some food there. I will be back with you shortly" - she said while dragging his sheepish husband up the stairs.

Will and Jack traded amused looks, both of them trying to contain their laughter at the scene. They followed the grey-haired man to a room ready for a meal. A big rectangular table, surrounded by high backed chairs took up most of the space and the butler led them to one of the sides to sit. They took their seats and the old man dismissed himself with the promise of bringing them some drinks while they waited for their hosts.

Jack leaned back against the chair looking around interested. The dining room was as lavish as the entrance hall had been, the number of gold and silver pieces a pirate could steal were innumerable and he wondered at the carelessness with which they had been led there and left alone. Looking to Will's disinterested expression he had to admit they hadn't been wrong. Will wouldn't allow him to steal their hostess. Will seemed to notice his look because he turned to Jack and smiled at his disgruntled expression.

"You wouldn't have been able to easily sell any of those things, Jack" - he observed amused - "Those pirates are very fond of Governor Marley around here. We would need to carry them with us abroad and it's not really worth the risk to have her husband chasing behind us all the way to the old Continent for some old candelabra. We have plenty of treasure still" - Will said in a consoling tone.

"I am glad you realise that Captain Turner. I have heard of you and your words now tell me that the rumours were surprisingly accurate" - Marley said from the door, looking radiant in her newly donned dress. Will rose from his seat to gentlemanly bow to the woman and led her to the main seat at the table. Jack looked bemusedly at the gesture - the same expression the Governor's husband had. Once they were all again seated around the dining table, with Treepwood taking the seat opposite to Jack and Will's at his wife's left side, Marley signalled for the food to be served.

"Rumours Madam?" - Will asked in curiosity once they were all settled.

"That you are an upright man and you took control of the Dutchman but you don't seem interested in the pirate life" - Marley explained, her bright green eyes looking into Will's guileless blue ones.

"I am the Dutchman's new Captain. That is true. I can't confirm or deny my trustworthiness madam. I believe that is something that only the people around you can do. You will need to reach your own conclusions" - Will reflected - "I can tell you that I didn't come to this port to make trouble for you or anyone else, but you have only my word for that" - he concluded. Marley nodded thoughtfully before returning her attention to the plate before there when her staff started to serve their food.

They busied themselves savouring the delicious food with Will and Marley making small talk about how to organise supplies into an Island where most of their inhabitants were pirates so they were very tempted to attack the supply ships. If Jack hadn't known of Will's princely background he would have suspected it now: he was entirely comfortable and well-used to their surroundings with the conversation.

If he hadn't known he was human before, he would have been suspecting it now: he was entirely comfortable with Marley's position and authority. At no moment during the dinner, he slipped into any condescending or mistrust of the woman's position, skills or knowledge. Even his husband - who was very much out of his depth at that setting - fell sometimes into the trap of treating his wife like she was fragile or weaker. Although, Marley dealt with him swiftly, until he became appropriately cowed again. Will watched the spectacle with amusement and stayed well away from the marital discussions, resuming his discussion with the Governor once she had dealt with her husband.

Jack mostly took advantage of the food and stayed silent during the conversation. He was used to be the main attraction of the conversation but he was enjoying seeing Will's politeness and charming disposition engage the Governor under the jealous gaze of her husband. He wasn't, as far as Jack could tell, trying to charm the woman or rile her husband but he was managing both beautifully.

Before Treepwood could explode from jealousy and do something inappropriate, Marley finally decided to explain the reasons for her invitation.

"You will wonder why I asked you here Captain Turner" - Marley started to say, a cup of wine on her hand. Will nodded in response looking at her curiously. Marley hesitated again before she started to talk - "I have heard that you are planning to sail to the Continent. By your words to your partner, I take this is indeed your plan?" - she asked Will and Jack.

Will hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. It wasn't usually a good idea to give other people - and their ships - the idea of the itinerary you were going to take in the future. It made it far too easy to intercept the ship.

"Yes, we will head that way soon madam. We could use a few more supplies and crew but I think we will not find more of those here in Melee. We will probably head for another port soon" - Will said carefully. It was almost a truth. They _could_ probably use a few more hands on deck, but Will didn't wish to introduce too many new sailors at the same time, so they were planning to use what they had.

Marley believed him however or didn't really care, because she didn't press the issue.

"I am asking, you understand, not for my own interest" - she explained formally - "But for the safety of my Island. When a ship as big and with such a rich history as the Dutchman docks in a port as small as ours... we become concerned" - Marley explained. Will and Jack's face cleared at that.

"You thought that th' Duchman was plannin' t' make Melee its base?" - Jack asked.

Threepwood spoke then cockily.

"You could try. Of course, you would need to go through me to do it" - he said. Will looked at him dubiously.

"I wasn't aware of any other ship at the dock beside a few small vessels Mr Stanman is... selling" - Will said, not unkindly but making clear what he thought of Threepwood's threat, he turned back to Marley ignoring the man's spluttering - "As I said before, I am not planning to make problems for you or your Island Madam Governor. I am just using Melee to fix the Dutchman and recruit a few new hands for it. As far as I can tell that shouldn't be of concern to you as we are paying for our time here. We are planning to leave tomorrow anyway" - he said easily.

Jack admired his friend's ability to cut to the chase and ignore Threepwood's quarrelsome attitude without losing face. He was actually making the man lose face himself and putting him in the spot by addressing his wife instead of him making clear he thought her the one he needed to appease. If Threepwood took umbrage to that it would _his_ wife he would need to contend first.

Marley seemed to find this as funny as Jack and ignored her husband answering to Will instead.

"I will take you to your word then, Captain" - she said formally, raising her cup in a toast - "I wish you a happy and prosperous journey" - she said. Jack and Will toasted with her in return, drinking easily.

* * *

Will looked at the deck of his ship thoughtfully. It was early in the morning and the men were getting ready to sail, as they had promised Elaine Marley the evening before.

Will wasn't certain of what to make of the woman. She was an interesting character and he couldn't help comparing her to Elizabeth. There were some similarities between the two women: beautiful, brave, intelligent and capable. However, Will had the impression that Marley had been less sheltered than Elizabeth and that had helped her to take charge of the pirate town.

Will couldn't imagine Elizabeth wanting to take her father's place at Port Royal, for example, she didn't lack the intelligence but the interest. She had always been more focused on her dreams of a pirate life than her position as her father's heir. Not that she could have _taken_ her father's position anyway, the most she could have aspired for in the constricted British's society was to be the wife of the new Governor. Will spared a thought to wonder what had become of her. Now he knew Jack wasn't interested in her, he figured she wouldn't stay at Tortuga. The Empress' crew would probably take her to Port Royal before they sailed back to their own shores. Will didn't expect for Elizabeth to stay captain of the Chinese vessel. He expected her to look for Norrington again. He was a good man and would take her back and marry her.

The noises on the deck returned his attention to his ship and Jack's presence behind him made him turn to the older pirate. Jack smiled at him, his eyes reflecting pleasure at Will's form. The two of them had returned to their cabin the night before and fell to the bed together as it was becoming their habit. Jack was a wonderful lover, caring and loving despite his cocky attitude. Will wasn't happy about Barbossa's new betrayal and Jack's loss of the Pearl, but he was happy to have him aboard the Dutchman. Jack walked to his side and looked around the deck, his sharp dark eyes taking stock of the controlled chaos bellow.

"Are we ready t' leave?" - Jack asked. Will nodded in response gesturing towards the men below.

"Just a last check of the new sails, but we should be in our way within the hour" - he answered out loud looking to Jack seriously before he made his next offer - "You are still in time to go ashore if you don't want to come with us".

Jack looked at his sideways, the shine of one of his golden teeth flashing in Will's direction.

"Tired o' me already? I said I would be your cabin lad 'n I shall. We can not leave th' cap'n without it. 'n Billy be still a bit young for that job" - Jack responded easily, his manner relaxed.

He seemed more at peace that Will had seen him before and Will wondered if that was because they had a manner of a plan for the future. Probably it wasn't because of their relationship, Jack didn't look like the type of man who found stability in a relationship with someone, much less another man. Shying away from that question, Billy's name turned Will's focus momentarily towards Bill Turner. The man had taken a shine to the young boy, teaching him the ropes of life at the Sea. Will suspected the older man saw in the young boy a new opportunity to make up for his desertion of Will's life.

He sighed, returning his attention to Jack and his words, he snorted in response.

"You know you will become tired of me long before I will of you. As for Billy, I am certain he is an accomplished young boy, he seems to have a knack fixing mechanical devices and I think that could be a profitable path for him to pursue" - Will commented.

Jack looked back at him in curiosity, turning his whole body now in Will's direction.

"Tired o' ye? Wha' makes you say that? I be mighty interested in you. 'n your body" - Jack said looking over Will's body with marked interest. Will smiled back at the words but responded seriously.

"I noticed" - he said, and changed the subject, aware it wasn't worth it. Jack would stay or go, and there wasn't much Will could - or should - do about it. He was a free spirit and Will didn't wish to cage him. He reminded Will a bit of Estel. The man had been a ranger at the core, and his time as King of the Reunited Kingdom hadn't been an easy change. Will had often wondered if he regretted the decisions which had led him there. Turning his wandering attention back to the ship and the preparations for their departure, he called out to Bill - "Is everything ready Mr Turner?"

Bill turned back to them.

"Everythin' be ready Captain" - Bill said motioning young Billy back to Will's side. The boy scrambled up to the main deck with Jack and Will like a monkey.

"Then let's go" - Will ordered and Bill turned to the sailors ordering them to raise the anchor and lower the sails. Jack stepped closer to Will's side, his dark eyes pensive.

"So, 'tis it" - he said - "Wha' has ye decided will be our first step?" - he asked. Billy listened intently looking at them in interest.

"Bermudas. We will go North first and stay close to the coast until we reach the Bermudas and then we will start the crossing to Azores' Island, from there we will try to reach the British Islands if the weather allows it" - Will responded having spent the last few weeks studying the best route to take advantage of the winds and the currents.

"'twill be a harsh passin'" - Jack warned. Will nodded in response. It was, fortunately, the best time for what they were trying to do, with favourable winds and weather but it was still a long way to go and their ship wasn't as big as the military vessels.

"We are as ready as we can be. It will be fine" - Will said, more confident than he felt. His last journey crossing the Atlantic as a boy from England had ended with pirates sinking the ship. In his previous life, he had lost his life just before Aman's shores. His track record wasn't the best there was but he had no choice but to try. He looked back to Jack in concern however, whatever risk he was willing to assume, he didn't want his lover to pay the price. Before he could offer Jack the chance to disembark again, the pirate placed his arm around Will's shoulder with a confident smile.

"'tis jus' another adventure 'n I 'ave missed th' ole Place. We are mighty good at those. I am certain we shall manage. Prolly can nah be worse than bringing down Beckett" - he said moving his arms expansively. Will repressed a sigh and decided to let it go. Jack was a grown man and he could make his own decisions after all. Will was certain he wouldn't be shy to leave if he felt it was in his best interest.

Turning his attention back to the ship, he took hold of the helm getting ready to steer the ship outside Melee and into the open sea.

They would be alright. Jack and he. The thought of embarking in a new adventure with Jack was exhilarating and Will could feel his pulse to pick up. Will would find what had happened to his people and together, they would find a way to recover Jack's ship. Maybe, that would part their ways, but that was a concern for the future.

For now, they were together and life was ahead of them, they had an adventure before them to find Will’s past and a few souls to protect and lead, including two little children that needed their protection.


End file.
